How Nigerians Reacted To U.S. Govt’s N2.5bn Bounty On Boko Haram Leader

Some Nigerians have reacted to the U.S. government’s placement of N2.5 billion ($7 million) bounty on Abubakar Shekau, the elusive leader of the dreaded Boko Haram terrorist group.

But Nigerians who reacted to the news published on THE WHISTLER website, appear to see the development as an indictment on the President Muhammadu Buhari administration which has been accused treating terrorists with kid gloves.

The U.S. government had announced the offer through the ‘Rewards for Justice Program’ of the U.S. Department for State.

“The United States Department of State offers a reward up to $7m for information leading to the arrest of the terrorist, Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram,” read a tweet on the French twitter account of the Rewards for Justice Program.

Many of the readers, who commented on the THE WHISTLER’s Facebook page, put the news in contrast to a recent suggestion by a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Senator representing Yobe, Ibrahim Gaidam, that a government commission be set up for the rehabilitation of “repentant” Boko Haram terrorists.

Below are some of the reactions:

Akpoebi Kelvin Donbraye: “He (Shekau) has been given amnesty by Nigerian government. No need for Americans to look for him. No wonder our national assembly are in a hurry to grant them pardon. The game is up for all those unpatriotic leaders using them to cause confusion in the country.

Justice Ibe: “Who will go after him when our soldiers who are after him are being halted and asked to return to base immediately they get nearer to where shakau is hiding

John Nwaudo Onyige: “I said it, US is gradually coming into the war very soon they will hit them harder.

Franz Dickson: “This is what it looks like when a legitimate government with an army decides to hunt a terrorist.

Sam Okirigwe: “But did the US take permission from the Nigerian President, Buhari?? Buhari’s Government could consider this as foreign interference.

The Nigerian government had claimed to have defeated Boko Haram, but majority of Nigerians think that the resurgence of the group in the northeast where they have sacked several communities, has underlined the insincerity of the government.

Since 2009, the Nigerian authorities had at different instances claimed to have killed Shekau, but the Boko Haram leader had continued to appear in new videos to claim that he was still alive.