Socio-Economic Right And Accountability Project (SERAP) has penned an open letter in opposition to the plans by the senate to sponsor ‘ex-agitators’.
The Open letter directed at the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan, first of all, expressed their dissatisfactions at the senate for referring to the former sect members as ex-agitators.
“By calling Boko Haram members ‘ex-agitators’, the Bill mocks the victims of appalling atrocities committed by the terrorist group, and is a blatant affront to victims’ dignity. ‘Repentant Boko Haram terrorists’ are not ‘ex-agitators’; they are terrorists under Nigerian and international laws,” The statement on their official website read.
Also, the group stated that the funds should instead be used to sponsor the families that were displaced as a result of the Boko haram war.
“Boko Haram members should not be allowed to enjoy foreign education while over 13 million Nigerian children of school age are roaming our streets. Alleged perpetrators of gross violations should not get the benefits at the expense of these and other deserving children. Rather than allow perpetrators to access public funds to enjoy foreign education, the Senate should be promoting reparation for victims, to prevent future criminality and ensure the best interest of justice.
“Should the Senate go ahead to pass the Bill, and should the Bill be supported by the House of Representatives and assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Registered Trustees of SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions, nationally and internationally, to challenge the legality of any such law and ensure that it is never implemented.”
The organisation added: “Prioritising the education of Boko Haram members over the rights of Nigerian children to quality education is discriminatory, as it violates Nigerian constitutional provisions, international and regional human rights obligations, and will undermine national development.
“This Bill serves neither justice nor the public interest. The Bill also does not represent value for money for Nigerian taxpayers, especially coming from an institution whose individual member reportedly takes home about N182 million yearly, translating to N15.1 million monthly or N45.3 million quarterly.
“Internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in many parts of the country are in shambles, with people lacking access to basic necessities, like food, clothing and children of victims lacking access to basic education.”
“Without justice, the seeds of future criminality and militant terrorism will grow. This Bill, if passed, would only lead to more terrorism and suffering,” the statement added.
For now, the Senate has yet to respond to SERAP’s open letter. However, Zuwaira Gambo previously responded to several other criticisms that greeted the move by the senate.