Court Releases 475 Boko Haram Suspects For Rehabilitation

A Federal High Court sitting in Wawa Cantonment, Kainji, Niger
state has set free about 475 suspected Boko Haram members.

They are to be sent to their state governments for proper
rehabilitation.

The suspects were arrested at different states and detained at
Wawa Cantonment.

According to a press statement from the office of the
Attoorney-General and Minister of Justice, their detention was
based on the information that they belong to the proscribed
terrorist group known as Boko Haram or that they concealed
information about the group which they knew or believed to be of
material assistance in preventing the commission of act of
terrorism or securing apprehension, prosecution or conviction of
members of Boko Haram sect.

According to the statement, the Prosecution Counsel could not
charge them for any offence due to lack of sufficient evidence
against them.

The suspects were accordingly released.

The court also directed states to provide for the released
persons, rehabilitation at any appropriate centre provided by the
states before being released to their families.

Those suspects who are mentally deranged or challenged with
their health are to be provided medical attention at any
appropriate medical or other mental health facilities.

The states were also to provide appropriate training in the
manner and for the period that the state deemed appropriate and
reasonable.

Among the list of the group released was a pathetic case of a
female suspect, Lubabatu Yakubu, who was arrested in 2014 by the
officials of the Department of Security Services (DSS) in Numan
town, Adamawa state, two days after marriage and divorced by her
Boko Haram husband.

Lubabatu was accused of her affiliation with Boko Haram
husband.

Another suspect, a young mother cuddling her three months old
baby, Mariam Mohammed, a Shua Arab from Borno State was released.
She was lured into the Boko Haram sect and taken to Sambisa forest
by her elder brother and married off to his friend at eleven years
old.

She was arrested by soldiers of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in
2014 while trying to escape the Boko Haram enclave in the Sambisa
Forest.

Taye Hamza and Kehinde Hamza are both identical twins from Oyo
State based in Bauchi State. They were amongst the lucky ones
released.

The twins who are mechanics by profession were arrested in 2010
by the DSS at their workshop in Bauchi State for servicing a
vehicle belonging to the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

A Federal High Court sitting in Wawa Cantonment, Kainji, Niger
state has set free about 475 suspected Boko Haram members.

They are to be sent to their state governments for proper
rehabilitation.

The suspects were arrested at different states and detained at
Wawa Cantonment.

According to a press statement from the office of the
Attoorney-General and Minister of Justice, their detention was
based on the information that they belong to the proscribed
terrorist group known as Boko Haram or that they concealed
information about the group which they knew or believed to be of
material assistance in preventing the commission of act of
terrorism or securing apprehension, prosecution or conviction of
members of Boko Haram sect.

According to the statement, the Prosecution Counsel could not
charge them for any offence due to lack of sufficient evidence
against them.

The suspects were accordingly released.

The court also directed states to provide for the released
persons, rehabilitation at any appropriate centre provided by the
states before being released to their families.

Those suspects who are mentally deranged or challenged with
their health are to be provided medical attention at any
appropriate medical or other mental health facilities.

The states were also to provide appropriate training in the
manner and for the period that the state deemed appropriate and
reasonable.

Among the list of the group released was a pathetic case of a
female suspect, Lubabatu Yakubu, who was arrested in 2014 by the
officials of the Department of Security Services (DSS) in Numan
town, Adamawa state, two days after marriage and divorced by her
Boko Haram husband.

Lubabatu was accused of her affiliation with Boko Haram
husband.

Another suspect, a young mother cuddling her three months old
baby, Mariam Mohammed, a Shua Arab from Borno State was released.
She was lured into the Boko Haram sect and taken to Sambisa forest
by her elder brother and married off to his friend at eleven years
old.

She was arrested by soldiers of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in
2014 while trying to escape the Boko Haram enclave in the Sambisa
Forest.

Taye Hamza and Kehinde Hamza are both identical twins from Oyo
State based in Bauchi State. They were amongst the lucky ones
released.

The twins who are mechanics by profession were arrested in 2010
by the DSS at their workshop in Bauchi State for servicing a
vehicle belonging to the dreaded Boko Haram sect.