By Idowu Ephraim Faleye: +2348132100608
One of the most tragic decisions ever made in the history of Nigeria was the granting of amnesty to Boko Haram fighters and their recruitment into the Nigerian Army. It is a move that defies logic, morality, and common sense. From the moment this policy was announced, many Nigerians who still have their heads screwed on the right could foresee the disaster it would bring. And today, we are living with the bitter consequences of that misjudgment. This is not just a mistake; it is a betrayal of the highest order, a clear disservice to the nation and to the memory of those who died at the hands of these insurgents.
How can anyone in their right mind think it is wise to grant freedom and even employment to individuals who were once committed to the destruction of the country? These are people who were indoctrinated with a dangerous ideology, one that tells them that killing innocent people earns them eternal rewards. These individuals were not just misguided youths; they were trained murderers, brainwashed to believe that anyone who does not share their faith deserves to die. How then do you expect such a person to transform overnight into a patriotic soldier whose loyalty lies with the Nigerian state?
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The moment these individuals were recruited into the Army, the integrity of the Nigerian military was compromised. Soldiers who had sworn to protect the nation with their lives were now forced to serve alongside those who once aimed their guns at them. Families who lost their loved ones in the fight against Boko Haram were forced to watch as their killers were not only pardoned but given jobs and paid with taxpayers’ money. What message does this send to law-abiding citizens? That crime pays? That you can kill, destroy, and maim, and still end up in uniform, with benefits?
This is the height of injustice. People who should be rotting in prison or facing justice are being compensated. It is as if we, as a nation, have decided to reward wickedness and punish righteousness. The blood of our soldiers cries from the ground, yet the government looks the other way, preferring to appease killers rather than honour the dead. The families of slain soldiers, the communities torn apart by terrorism, and the children orphaned by senseless killings—what do they get in return? Pain. Silence. Betrayal.
Now we hear of frequent ambushes. Nigerian soldiers are being captured, killed, and humiliated by ragtag Boko Haram fighters. Why? Because there are moles within the Army. Because those so-called repentant fighters never repented. They only changed uniforms. They now wear the green of the Nigerian Army, but their hearts remain with the dark ideology that birthed Boko Haram. They have become informants, feeding vital military intelligence to their old comrades. Plans are leaked, movements are tracked, and ambushes are executed with precision because someone within knows the system.
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What makes this even more painful is the suspicion that this was no accident. Many believe this was part of a grand plan, a calculated effort by the Fulani oligarchy to weaken the Nigerian Army and compromise the country’s defence systems. Former President Buhari, whether knowingly or unknowingly, became the face of this betrayal. His actions in office, from the skewed appointments to the preferential policies, all point to a disturbing loyalty that was not entirely in favour of Nigeria’s unity.
This is the same administration that constructed railways to the Niger Republic while Nigerian roads rotted away. The same government that pushed the RUGA policy with so much aggression that Nigerians had to rise in protest to stop it. Everything pointed to a priority for ethnic and religious interests over national unity. Under Buhari’s watch, it became clear that some lives mattered more than others, and some crimes could be forgiven—depending on who committed them.
The consequences of these actions are everywhere today. The fight against insurgency has dragged on for years, with no end in sight. Billions have been spent, thousands have died, and yet the enemy seems to grow stronger. How can we win a war when the enemy sleeps in our barracks? When our strategies are leaked before they are even implemented? When our soldiers march into traps that could have been avoided?
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We must come to a point of painful but necessary truth: there can be no peace where justice is absent. Boko Haram fighters are not ordinary criminals. They are ideological terrorists. They are people who believe they are on a divine mission, and no amount of rehabilitation or reintegration will change that. You cannot preach peace to someone who thinks that killing you is an act of worship. Such a soul is no longer in that body. It is in the hands of the devil, and no human program can retrieve it.
The first step to saving Nigeria’s military and restoring national security is to purge the army of every element that once pledged allegiance to Boko Haram. These individuals must be removed immediately. Their presence is a threat to national security, a slap to the face of every fallen soldier, and a mockery of our collective intelligence. The idea that they can be rehabilitated is not only naive but deadly.
Secondly, the government must abandon the policy of amnesty for terrorists. There are crimes that forgiveness cannot and should not cover. We must draw a line in the sand. Boko Haram fighters should be treated as enemies of the state. Captured fighters should be tried and executed. Not because we hate them, but because we love the nation they tried to destroy. Because justice demands it. Because the future of Nigeria depends on it.
We must stop sending the message that the blood of innocents means nothing. We must stop acting as if the lives of our soldiers are disposable. We must stop pretending that rehabilitation is possible for people who believe their crimes are holy. The army must be rebuilt with patriots, not former enemies. With loyalty, not with deceit. With discipline, not with compromise.
The truth is hard. But if we do not face it, we will continue to bury our heroes in silence while celebrating their killers in uniform. We will keep losing good men and women to betrayal. We will keep watching our nation slip into chaos. All because we were too afraid to call evil by its name.
Buhari may have left office, but his legacy remains—a legacy tainted by decisions that emboldened Nigeria’s enemies and undermined the very institution meant to protect us. It is time to correct those errors. It is time to choose justice over political correctness, truth over deception, and national interest over ethnic loyalty.
To every Nigerian who has lost someone to terrorism, to every soldier who fought bravely and died believing in this country, to every child orphaned by senseless violence, your pain is valid. Your tears matter. And your sacrifice should not be in vain. Never again should killers be rewarded. Never again should loyalty to Nigeria be second to any ideology. Never again should our soldiers fall because someone within gave away their position. Never again should a government forget who it is meant to serve.
Our silence will not bring back the dead. But our voice can protect the living. Let it thunder across every corner of this nation that we are done pampering evil. And may those who died protecting us finally rest in peace, knowing their sacrifice is not forgotten.
Idowu Faleye is the founder and publisher of EphraimHill DataBlog, a platform committed to Data Journalism and Policy Analysis. With Public Administration and Data Analytics background, his articles offer research-driven insights into Politics, governance and Public Service delivery
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