Outrage in Benue as Prof. Alakali Opposes Proposed DRR Camp for Repentant Terrorists

A former Benue State governorship aspirant and engineering professor, Joseph Alakali, has strongly condemned reports that the Benue State Government formally requested the establishment of a rehabilitation camp for so-called repentant terrorists — a programme known as the Disengagement, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) initiative — describing the move as "an affront to justice" and a dangerous misreading of the state's security realities.

In a strongly-worded public statement, Prof. Alakali argued that siting such a facility in Benue — a state he described as still "under siege" — is profoundly disconnected from the priorities and pains of its people, who have endured nearly two decades of violent attacks, mass displacement, and the destruction of thousands of rural communities.

"This is a state under siege," Alakali wrote, noting the collapse of agriculture across what was once known as Nigeria's food basket, the displacement of millions of citizens into overcrowded Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, and the loss of countless lives without prosecutions or closure.

The professor argued that rehabilitating perpetrators while victims remain displaced and uncompensated normalizes impunity, undermines the rule of law, and — most dangerously — "incentivizes violence as a pathway to negotiation and state support."

He insisted that justice must precede any reintegration efforts, calling for the identification, arrest, and prosecution of both perpetrators and their sponsors as a non-negotiable foundation of any credible security policy.

Alakali also raised pointed questions about the selection of Benue for such a programme, asking why the state — arguably the most conflict-affected — should bear this burden while neighboring states and those where federal de-radicalization programmes already exist were not considered. He further questioned what mechanisms exist to guarantee non-recidivism, protect traumatized host communities, and ensure community consent — conditions he said do not currently exist in Benue.

"Public policy in a democracy must reflect the will of the people," he stated, noting that public sentiment in the state is "overwhelmingly clear" in its rejection of the proposal.

The former governorship aspirant also called on traditional institutions, particularly the Benue Traditional Institution headed by the Tor Tiv, to speak out firmly on the matter, describing them as "the conscience of the Tiv nation and defenders of communal wellbeing."

He concluded with a stark warning: "Benue State must not be converted into a sanctuary for terror under the guise of rehabilitation. The government should first secure her people, resettle them, restore their dignity, and pursue justice relentlessly before extending compassion to those who shattered their lives."

The Benue State Government is yet to officially respond to the growing public criticism surrounding the reported DRR camp request.