Justice for repentant Boko Haram
The Permanent Secretary, Borno State Ministry of Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Alhaji Tahiru Shettima, has pledged the Ministry’s full commitment to support the processes that would lead to the successful implementation of the Transitional Justice Project flagged by the National Human Rights Commission, NHCR, with the support of the European Union, EU and the United Nations Development Program UNDP, in 2021.
What does this mean?
The Transitional Justice Project, an initiative of the National Human Right Commission and the United Nations Development Program, was launched on the twenty-six of August 2021, with the aim of promoting Reconciliation, Reintegration, and Transitional Justice in North-Eastern Nigeria.
The Project is funded by the European Union and seeks to promote a community-based non-judicial transitional justice process aimed at providing a mechanism for reconciliation, restorative and transitional justice for both victims and the community while reintegrating the returning ex-fighters into the communities.
What is the Ministry saying?
The Permanent Secretary while playing host to the Project Team, who was on a courtesy visit to his office in Maiduguri, to intimate him on the activities of the Project, said the Ministry is open to partners who are willing to help salvage the situation, adding that the cardinal philosophy of the ministry is openness, partnership and commitment to move the state forward. He also pledged to give maximum support in the implementation of the project.
How will this affect the repentant Boko-Haram members?
Shettima explained that the project became necessary when ex-Boko-Haram fighters gave up their arms and returned to their communities, but it became naturally difficult for people to accept them back into society, thereby making it difficult to encourage them to live among the people who had committed some grave human rights violations. He emphasized that the project will no doubt educate people and encourage them to embrace peace and reconciliation.
