Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama has said that the Federal Government is yet to make definite pronouncement on what will become of surrendered Boko Haram members.
He spoke on Saturday amid growing concerns over rumoured plans by government to reintegrate the surrendered Boko Haram insurgents and others to the society.
Onyeama spoke at the 2021 annual public lecture of the Society for International Relations Awareness (SIRA) in Abuja with the theme “Continuity and change in Nigeria’s foreign policy under President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Many Nigerians have argued that the terrorists should face the consequences of their deeds rather than being pardoned or rehabilitated by the government.
But Onyeama said the Federal Government is yet to decide what to do with them.
Addressing the gathering, including foreign diplomats, the Minister said: “The mechanisms we are adopting are local and we are looking at experience from other countries in taking a definitive decision on what to do. I guess we would also look at individual cases.
“We can’t just have a blanket decision. There are so many aspects to that but the government is yet to take a definite decision on that. I think very soon, we would have a definite position.”
On the country’s foreign policy, he said it is difficult to say as it varies from one country to another.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari as arrow head of the country’s engagement diplomacy has yielded much fruit with the appointment of many Nigerians into global and continental bodies.
The Nation
