Lawmaker Mentions What Should Be Done To Terrorists, Bandits, Others
- Hon Yusuf Gagdi advocated for the death penalty over rehabilitation for violent criminals
- The member of the House of Representatives claimed rehabilitation undermines justice and fails to deter criminality
- The federal lawmaker raised concerns over trust issues with rehabilitated terrorists in security operations
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
Jos, Plateau State - Hon Yusuf Gagdi said insurgents and other violent criminals, who deliberately take another person’s life, should face the death penalty.
The lawmaker representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives opposed the rehabilitation of insurgents.
Gagdi said those convicted of murder should face execution rather than rehabilitation.
“So why should I believe in rehabilitation? Anybody who kills should be killed. Simple. If we had been doing that, it would have reduced the problem to the barest minimum.”
As reported by Daily Trust, he stated this while speaking on Silverbird Rhythm 93.7 FM, Jos, on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
He insisted that public funds should not be spent rehabilitating killers of innocent citizens.
Gagdi said he does not believe terrorists should benefit from such initiatives.
The Plateau State indigene said such a policy undermines justice and fails to deter criminality.
“Any criminal, anybody that takes somebody’s life, should not be rehabilitated in the first instance.”
He argued that some security operatives have reservations about working alongside rehabilitated terrorists.
The lawmaker alleged that there have been cases where some of those reintegrated into society leaked operational information to criminal groups.
“In some instances, the security agencies are refusing operations because they don’t even trust the rehabilitated Boko Haram members that are among them. There are instances where those so-called rehabilitated people are the same people giving information to the criminals on how to ambush convoys of security agencies.”
Over 100 Terrorists Declared Repentant
Defence Headquarters announced that 117 repentant terrorists from Borno state completed the DRR programme under Operation Safe Corridor.
Brig Gen Y Ali, Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, confirmed the completion of the rehabilitation process at Mallam Sidi Camp and disclosed the programme’s expansion to the North West.
Gen Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Defence Staff, reaffirmed that structured rehabilitation and reintegration remained vital to sustaining Nigeria’s security gains.
FG spends N1.4bn on repentant terrorists' rehabilitation
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that the Nigerian government spent N1.4 billion on rehabilitating repentant terrorists and setting up trial facilities over 18 months.
Secret trials at the Kainji Detention Facility convicted 325 terrorists, drawing mixed reactions from security experts and civil society groups.
Critics question the transparency of the trials, while supporters defend them as necessary for national security and due process.
Source: Legit.ng
