Prof. Oyesoji Aremu, a security scholar at the University of Ibadan, has urged the federal government to overhaul and rethink its de-radicalisation process for terrorists and bandits to ensure they have a complete change of mind before rejoining society.
Aremu said while it has been a norm in certain circumstances to pardon criminals, the same cannot be said of terrorists and bandits whose primary aim for crime has been to maim, kill and inflict deep emotional wounds and traumas on their victims.
“In effect, the question of pardoning terrorists and bandits is even a misplaced one when such elements have not even come to the crossroads of atoning for their crimes and have a genuine detour from such crimes.
“Unfortunately, government and promoters of clemency for terrorists and bandits do not understand that they go through at least six stages of radicalisation before they become what some Criminologists refer to as ‘True Believers’.
“The question is, can a ‘True Believer’ terrorist appreciates pardon when he/she has not been thoroughly deradicalised and made to ‘purge’ self of deep-seated passion for terrorism? It doesn’t add up,” he said.
According to the security scholar, the second leg of the perspective is the question of forgiveness on the part of the victims of terrorism and criminality, which is not always addressed.
“It is, therefore, absurd and illogical to talk of a pardon for terrorists and criminals when forgiveness is not sought by the government from the victims of the heinous and dastardly act of terrorism and banditry.
“In effect, pardon for terrorism doesn’t and will not stop the act. Rather, it promotes and hardens terrorists more,” Aremu said.
