Anglican Bishop Calls on Federal Government to Stop Reintegration of Repentant Terrorists

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ARTICLE AD BOX

By Chinedu Adonu

ENUGU — Rt. Rev. Prof. Samuel Obiajulu Ike, the Anglican Bishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province and Enugu Diocese, urged President Bola Tinubu to halt the reintegration of so‑called repentant terrorists, arguing that individuals involved in terrorism should face prosecution.

He voiced this appeal during his presidential address at the third session of the 19th Synod of the Diocese, which convened at St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Ogbete, Enugu.

He lamented that, even with a security and defence allocation of N5.41 trillion—approximately 9.3 percent of the proposed N58.47 trillion 2026 budget—national insecurity has persisted and worsened.

Criticizing the rehabilitation of terrorists, the cleric maintained that those responsible for killings and other violent crimes must be brought to justice.

“In a society where a man is sentenced to death for defending himself against terrorists and another is prosecuted for stealing a goat, terrorists must also be made to face trial for their heinous crimes,” he said.

He urged the Federal Government to remove cabinet members alleged to be sympathetic to terrorists, to cease referring to Boko Haram members as “insurgents” and to officially label them as terrorists. He also demanded action against social media platforms that are allegedly used by terrorist groups to disseminate propaganda.

Expressing concern over ongoing killings and kidnappings, Bishop Ike cited reports that more than 1,100 Nigerians were abducted during the first quarter of 2026, and that attacks in Plateau, Benue and Kaduna states had claimed hundreds of lives.