Senate Moves To Stop Pardons For Boko Haram Suspects, Criminals

The Senate on Tuesday approved a prayer seeking to end state pardons and the rehabilitation of criminals, particularly suspected Boko Haram members and other insurgents.

Naija News reports that the prayer followed a motion moved by Senator Abdulazeez Yar’Adua on the abduction and killing of a former Director of Defence Information, retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, and other military officers.

The plenary, presided over by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, condemned the rehabilitation of Boko Haram insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals under deradicalisation programmes by some state governments.

Some senators linked the lingering insurgency, especially in northern Nigeria, to the repeated release of so-called repentant criminals back into society.

The lawmakers also expressed concern over the worsening security situation, warning that the recent abduction and killing of retired military officers showed a dangerous shift in the country’s security challenges.

“The death of retired Major General Abubakar and others in the custody of terrorists represents not only personal tragedies but also a painful national loss and a stark reminder of the scale and persistence of insecurity confronting the nation,” the Senate said.

The Senate noted what it described as a disturbing pattern of attacks on serving and retired military personnel.

It cited incidents recorded between January 2023 and May 2026, including the killing of retired Major General Richard Duru in Owerri after a $50,000 ransom was reportedly paid, the murder of retired Brigadier General O.M. Harlord Udokwere in Abuja, the 56-day captivity of former NYSC Director-General, retired Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga, and the death in captivity of retired Major Aja in Kogi State.

“The increasing frequency with which serving and retired military personnel are being targeted by criminal and terrorist groups represents a dangerous evolution in the nation’s security challenges,” the Senate stated.

Insecurity Threatens National Stability

The lawmakers said many of the victims had previously held sensitive intelligence, operational and command positions, making the attacks a serious national security concern.

They warned that insecurity now had implications beyond individual victims.

“The constitutional responsibility of government to protect lives and property remains fundamental to national unity, democratic stability, economic growth, and public trust in governance,” the Senate noted.

The upper chamber commended the Armed Forces, the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security agencies for their sacrifices.

It, however, called for urgent improvements in intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, technology deployment and community engagement to prevent future attacks.

The Senate also observed that the wave of kidnappings and killings had led to deaths, prolonged captivity, heavy ransom payments, emotional trauma, economic hardship and psychological distress for victims, their families and the country.