Video: Ex Boko Haram terrorists can become Nigeria's president - says Army Commander

A video has re-emerged on social media showing the General Officer Commanding the 7 Division, Major General Abdulmalik Bulama Biu, saying that repentant Boko Haram terrorists can become president of Nigeria or aspire to any position.

According to the video shared by Channels Television, the army commander spoke during an interview with journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

“Boko Haram should lay their arms unconditionally and be accepted. Opportunities are out there for them, they can be rehabilitated.

“An ex Boko Haram having laid his arms and turned away from his negativity, stands to be a president of this country; he stands to aspire to any position in this country. Why is he wasting his time when he cannot even deliver?” Biu had said.

Although the video was recorded on July 21, 2019, it resurfaced in the wake of the Presidency’s defence of Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, over his past radical pro-Taliban comments.

The communications minister has been in the eye of the storm of late over his comments supporting terrorist activities. Though he has since renounced the comments, blaming immaturity, many Nigerians continue to demand his sacking or resignation.

But in the statement on Thursday, Shehu ruled out the possibility of the sacking of the minister, saying, “The minister has, rightly, apologized for what he said in the early 2000s. The views were absolutely unacceptable then, and would be equally unacceptable today, were he to repeat them. But he will not repeat them – for he has publicly and permanently condemned his earlier utterances as wrong.

“In the 2000s, the Minister was a man in his twenties; next year he will be 50. Time has passed, and people and their opinions – often rightly – change.”

Outraged by the supposed verdict of the Presidency, many Nigerians have since taken to social media to censure the Buhari administration over its apologist stance on Pantami despite his past escapade with terrorists.

Read the tweets from the presidency below.