SAN FRANCISCO, August 21, (THEWILL) – A group, Joint Investigation Team, made up of defence investigators on Tuesday said all Boko Haram members currently being detained should be tried in a court of law for the crime they have committed in the last four years.
Lamenting that the insurgents have killed many innocent Nigerians and destroyed property worth billions of Naira since the insurgency began, the chairman of the team, Brig. Gen. Abdulkadir Abubakar, said the Boko Haram crisis was avoidable and regrettable.
Abubakar stated this when he led other members of the team on a courtesy visit to the Borno State governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, saying the Defence Headquarters sent the team “to explore ways of handling cases of those detained for judicial option in line with laid down rules.”
Abubakar listed members of the Joint Investigation Team to include Army, Navy, Air Force, State Security Service, Police, NIA, and Immigration officers as well as lawyers from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and that of Commissioners of Justice from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.
He disclosed that the team would study the detention files of all suspected Boko Haram insurgents and categorise them according to their level of involvement in the series of bombing, killing and attacks that have claimed the lives of over 3,000 people.
“Since our arrival, the team has done some work and we have noted colossal lost of lives and property and also the high-handed indoctrination of youths and followers of the insurgents who are committing or has committed the dastardly act.
“We are expected to classify the detainees for prosecution or as witnesses or for further investigation, deportation or as the case may be, to determine the offences of suspects that could be tried either by federal or state’s courts and make any other recommendation that may be necessary,” he said.
Abubakar said his team was capable of making diligent compilation and process that would ensure justice at the end of the day under the Nigeria Constitution and Rule of Law.
He disclosed that some of the suspects would be tried at the state courts while other “may be recommended for trial in the state courts and some at the federal high courts.”
Welcoming the team, Governor Shettima commended the Defence Headquarters for the quality of officers and men in the team, saying it was the first time the Defence Headquarters would send such calibre of people to the state for investigation of Boko Haram suspects.
The governor, who disclosed that the state has the highest number of detainees , however urged the team to give justice to the detainees, saying “Selective justice to a few is an injustice to all.”
