Don’t Reward Terrorists

The plan by the Federal Government to compensate Boko Haram for all the atrocities it has committed is a great disservice to the victims of these terrorists who are still killing and maiming Nigerians.

The move is as thoughtless as it is insensitive. Is this not a subtle acquiescence to the threat posed by the Islamic fundamentalists? It rankles to think that the government is sheepishly toeing this ignoble and cowardly path. The plan is coming at a time Nigerians are vehemently opposed to any form of government’s dialogue with the killer group. The sect even has the audacity to give conditions for the dialogue. These are extremists who have vowed to Islamise Nigeria and have taken up guns to wage war against the country.

They have killed more than 2,800 innocent Nigerians since they began their bombing and shooting campaign in 2009. They have attacked several churches, police headquarters and stations, the United Nations Headquarters in Abuja, beer parlours, etc. These attacks have left in their wake hundreds of people dead and others maimed for life. And while there is no let up in their war against the country, the Federal Government is toying with the feelings and sensibilities of Nigerians by drawing up a criteria for payment of compensation to them.

Compensation for what? For killing defenceless fellow Nigerians and destroying property worth tens of millions of naira? Nigerians will not accept this suicidal gambit. The danger in compensating the terrorists is that other militant groups will spring up again, kill and maim people and then settle for dialogue with the federal government and get compensated. And the vicious cycle will go on.

We warn that to compensate extremists and militant groups is a panicky measure that will do the country no good. Nigeria will continue to remain the laughing stock of the world when we come up with such harebrained solution to the security challenge posed by Boko Haram.

Why is it that there seems to be a lot of frenzy now for ceasefire, dialogue, and payment of compensation to Boko Haram after two serving senators have been accused of financing the extremists? Is it because security agencies are closing in on the real backers of Boko Haram that we are witnessing these scenarios?

The Federal Government must tread softly on the issue of compensation to Boko Haram so that it does not get its fingers burnt.