Boko Haram: Only 300 of 50,000 Arrested Terrorists Prosecuted, Says Major General Wahab

The Director General of the Nigeria Army Resource Centre, Major General Garba Wahab (retd), has called for expedited judicial processes to address the backlog of Boko Haram terrorism cases. Despite the arrest of over 50,000 Boko Haram terrorists by the Nigerian Army and other security agencies, only around 300 have been prosecuted.

Speaking at a two-day round table discussion in Abuja on the theme ‘Asymmetrical National Security Challenges, the Army, and National Development,’ Wahab emphasized the judiciary’s critical role in punishing terrorists to deter future crimes.

“One of the ways to curb insecurity is that the judiciary must be alive to its responsibilities, and the local government authorities should be allowed to function,” Wahab stated. He criticized the lengthy judicial processes in Nigeria, highlighting that it often takes 20 years for cases to be adjudicated, with clear offenders sometimes evading timely justice. He recalled a former president’s observation that even simple theft cases could take a decade to resolve.

Wahab also stressed the importance of empowering local governments to enhance security measures. “What we are asking those in government to do is to find a way of ensuring that the judiciary and local government are allowed to function well. When you allow local government to function, then you can localize the security architecture,” he said.

He proposed addressing insecurity at the battalion level, noting that these units, which serve the state, should work closely with state and local governments. “We shouldn’t wait till we get to divisional headquarters whenever there is a problem. Divisional headquarters, in most cases, are busy attending to five or six states,” Wahab added.