By Peace Udugba
Dr. Charles Omole, author of From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, has recounted the story of a captured Boko Haram member who allegedly blamed police injustice and abuse of power for his decision to join the terrorist group.
Omole shared the account during an interview on State Affairs with Edmund Obilo, while discussing insecurity and the factors that contributed to the rise of insurgency in northern Nigeria during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to Omole, the insurgent was interrogated after being captured and asked why he became involved with Boko Haram. The suspect, he said, narrated a painful experience involving betrayal, humiliation and alleged injustice by local authorities.
“The guy said he lived in a village in the north. He came home one day and found a man who was the richest man in the village in the bedroom with his wife,” Omole recounted during the interview.
He explained that instead of taking the law into his own hands, the man chose to report the incident to the police in order to avoid committing a violent act.
However, according to Omole, the situation took a shocking turn after he approached the authorities.
“He said in order not to commit crime, he went to report the man to the local police. He said it was him, the husband, the police came to arrest and they locked him up for 30 days in their cell,” Omole stated.
Omole said the experience allegedly left the man bitter, frustrated and disillusioned with the justice system, eventually making him vulnerable to extremist recruitment.
The author used the story to argue that insecurity and insurgency are often fueled not only by poverty and illiteracy, but also by corruption, abuse of power and the failure of institutions to deliver justice fairly.
He stressed that rebuilding public trust in law enforcement and ensuring equal treatment under the law are critical steps toward addressing insecurity and preventing radicalisation among vulnerable citizens.
