₦1.4 billion Spent On Rehabilitation Of Repentant Boko Haram Terrorists – FG


The Nigerian government has spent approximately ₦1.4 billion over the last 18 months on the rehabilitation of repentant Boko Haram terrorists and the establishment of terrorism trial centres. This expenditure follows the enactment of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, which was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari on May 12, 2022. As part of this initiative, the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) was established.


By December 2022, the government had announced plans to set up two centres aimed at disarmament, deradicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration of former Boko Haram members and other terrorists. The NCTC's coordinator, Rear Admiral Yem Musa (retd.), disclosed that ₦2.4 billion of the ₦3.8 billion budgeted for the centre’s 2023 capital projects would be allocated to these facilities.


An investigation by The PUNCH using the GovSpend platform revealed that between December 2022 and May 2024, the Ministry of Justice allocated ₦1.4 billion to construct rehabilitation centres for repentant terrorists and renovate facilities dedicated to terrorism-related trials. In March 2023, ₦612 million was awarded to three companies for these projects under Operation Safe Corridor (OSC). Of this, ₦286.7 million was allocated to El-haby Concept Limited for the renovation of a facility at Giwa Barracks, while Interprise Limited received ₦21.5 million for consultancy on rehabilitative infrastructure. Additionally, Fosab Global Energy Service Limited was paid ₦303.7 million for constructing the rehabilitation centre.


In 2024, another ₦179 million was disbursed to three companies for similar initiatives. This included payments to Jayjaysen Integrated Links Ltd for supplies related to terrorism trials, and further funds for Fosab Global Energy Service Ltd's ongoing construction work.


The NCTC has reported significant progress in prosecuting terrorists, with 325 convictions during the Phase 5 and Phase 6 trials held at the Kainji Detention Facility. In Phase 5 (July 2024), 143 cases were processed, resulting in 125 convictions, while Phase 6 saw 237 cases, leading to 200 convictions. However, there has been no announcement regarding Phase 7 of the trials.


The secrecy surrounding these trials has sparked mixed reactions. Security experts and civil society groups have voiced concerns, arguing that the lack of transparency could undermine the credibility of the process. Some experts, like Lekan Jackson-Ojo, have criticized the concealment of these trials, questioning why terrorists are shielded from public scrutiny. Others, such as Chidi Omeje, have raised concerns about whether the military is inadvertently protecting those responsible for attacks on their personnel.


On the other hand, security expert Kabir Adamu has defended the confidentiality of the trials, citing national security concerns. He commended the government's prioritization of terrorism-related prosecutions but stressed the importance of ensuring due process and transparency in the trials.

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