A proposed bill says the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) will fund an agency for the rehabilitation of insurgents in the north-east, the PUNCH reports.
The Senator Gaidam sponsored-bill titled ‘Establishment of the National Agency for the Education, Rehabilitation, De-radicalisation and Integration of Repentant Insurgents in Nigeria and for Other Connected Purposes’ has passed first reading.
According to the news report, the rehab commission will also be funded by 0.5% of the federal allocation to the six states in the north-east, 1% of the education Tax Fund (TETFund) and UBEC fund. It also provides for foreign education for repentant insurgents.
“The agency shall implement programmes geared towards the rehabilitation of beneficiaries, engage the services of offshore and Nigerian institutions in the pursuit of the educational needs of ex-agitators,” section 5 of the bill reads.
According to Senator Gaidam the bill became necessary because many Boko Haram terrorists were willing to lay down their arms but were afraid of the consequences of their action.
