Buhari Regime Showing Support For Terrorists, Bandits In Nigeria — UK Parliament

The activities of President Muhammadu Buhari’s dictatorship have been recognized by the UK Parliament to imply support for ongoing terrorist and bandit attacks on persons and communities.

The news comes only weeks after Mr Buhari openly backed Isa Pantami, his communications minister, who made headlines after his violent sermons and support for Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other extremist organisations were exposed online.

Mr. Pantami’s harmful beliefs were excused by Mr. Buhari as originating from a place of ignorance, despite the fact that the minister was in his mid-30s and early 40s when he made the remarks.

The president urged Mr Pantami to stay in his job, saying without evidence that he had changed his mind about his previous ideas and romantic relationship with terrorism.

On July 26, the lawmakers submitted a letter of protest to Dominic Raab, the UK foreign secretary.

Caroline Cox, Rowan Williams, and David Alton, members of the House of Lords, the upper chamber of parliament, signed the letter. The letter was also signed by Mervyn Thomas of Christian Solidarity Worldwide and Ayo Adedoyin of Peace & Social Justice (PSJ-UK).

They voiced concern, citing the shooting down of a Nigerian Air Force fighter plane by bandits, that the country was now in the hands of non-state actors who might unleash terror at will, particularly in the North-East and North-West.

Bandits opened fire on a plane returning to base from an operation on the Zamfara-Kaduna border earlier this month, causing it to crash.

“Nigerian citizens are currently at the mercy of non-state actors who have been allowed to evolve and now have the capacity to shoot down a fighter jet, as has recently occurred in Kaduna,” said the letter.

Peoples Gazette in April reported that Boko Haram insurgents had successfully taken over the Shiroro local government area, imposing VAT and income tax on residents of communities.

Governor Abubakar Bello had also announced the displacement of many residents by the insurgents around Munya and Shiroro, adding that the terrorists placed their flag in Kauri.

But Mr Buhari blamed COVID-19 which broke out in the country on February 26, 2020 for Boko Haram takeover of Shiroro, Geidam, and other communities.

The UK parliament also lamented the regime’s unceasing disregard for human rights while recounting how soldiers opened gunfire on #EndSARS protesters who protested against extrajudicial killings by police officers. The aftermath of the protests left dozens killed in Lagos, including at the Lekki toll gate, shortly after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced a curfew.

Initially, the Nigerian Army denied being at the toll gate, stating that videos and photos from the scene were “doctored,” but later admitted their presence and claimed that shots were only fired into the air to enforce a curfew.

While critics of Mr Buhari’s regime and the U.S. government condemned the attack on the unarmed protesters and called for the prosecution of soldiers involved in the shooting, the government has not brought anyone to book. This, the parliament, criticised.

“There are now widespread concerns that human rights violations take place with a degree of official complicity and that the Nigerian government only occasionally investigates or prosecutes those responsible for such crimes,” the lawmakers said.

“The government gives the unfortunate impression of being as quick to pardon, rehabilitate and release ‘repentant’ terrorists as to harass and shoot protestors who make legitimate calls for justice and reform in a peaceful manner,” they added.

Although Mr Buhari, in 2018 said, his regime was willing to accept the “unconditional laying down of arms by any member of the Boko Haram group who shows strong commitment in that regard,” insecurity has worsened in recent years.

“We are ready to rehabilitate and integrate such repentant members into the larger society. This country has suffered enough hostility,” he had said.

His regime had also claimed that it “technically defeated” the terrorist group, but several violent attacks have been traced to the insurgents.

Boko Haram insurgency began as far back as 2009 in the North-East, and the terrorists further spread their atrocities to other parts of the country.

Mr Buhari’s regime has been widely condemned by critics and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party for not prosecuting bandits. This, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said is not the federal government’s responsibility, arguing it is not a federal offence.

While responding to statements credited to the PDP on the security challenges facing the country, Mr Mohammed said, “It is shocking that a party that ruled this nation for all of 16 years does not know that kidnapping and banditry are not federal offences.

“Meanwhile, PDP conveniently forgot that as far as terrorism, a federal offence, is concerned, this Federal Government has successfully prosecuted thousands of Boko Haram members in Kainji as part of a continuing exercise. We are now seeking the cooperation of the judiciary to continue with the trial of arrested terrorists.”