The National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director-General nominee Noordin Haji has weighed in on the Shakahola saga.

Haji said NIS gave actionable intelligence on what was happening at Shakahola and perpetrators were prosecuted.

This is after questions arose as to how the mass killings went ahead for a long time without being noticed. 

Pastor Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church is accused of brainwashing his followers to starve to death in the belief that they will meet Jesus. 

"I think there is a misconception, if I am not wrong NIS did give timely intelligence that initially was actionable and even as ODPP we were able to prosecute some of the individuals, especially Mackenzie. However, when we went to court he was given bail, the argument being that his bail was not adequate to safeguard from the atrocities that he has committed," he said.

The DPP, however, said that criminal justice must review how they can convert intelligence to evidence.

"It is not correct to say that NIS did not play its role probably the rest of us within the justice criminal system might have to review how to action intelligence and this is one of the visions that I have that as NIS we will be able to assist the criminal justice system to convert intelligence to evidence."

Haji said the country should undergo a paradigm shift in the view of extremism and violent extremism.

He said Africans have for a long time viewed terrorism as a problem that has been brought about by Islamic extremism.

The DPP said with the Shakahola incident, the government and security agencies shall have to cast their nets wider. 

Haji added that extremism can come from either Christians or Muslims and is not a matter of one religion.

"The paradigm shift that has to come is that extremism can come from anybody be it Muslims, Christians or Hindus and we will have to deal with them as potential threats," he said.

He said there are adequate mechanisms put in place to counter violent extremism across the border.

Haji spoke on Tuesday when he appeared before National Assembly’s Defense, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee for vetting. By PERPETUA ETYANG, The Star