The Christian Association of Nigeria has criticised President Goodluck Jonathan for his decision to set up a committee that will pave the way for amnesty for the Boko Haram Islamic sect.
It said the decision showed that he (Jonathan) was not in charge.
According to the association, granting amnesty to the sect only shows that lawlessness is a profitable venture in Nigeria.
“The fact that Jonathan has allowed himself to be intimidated by traditional rulers, Northern Elders Forum, Arewa Consultative Forum and Muslim clerics from the North shows that he is not in charge of the situation. If he is a President that is in charge, he should demonstrate to the world that nobody is above the law in this country,” CAN stated.
The Public Relations Officer of CAN (Northern states and Abuja), Mr. Sunny Oibe, told one of our correspondents that the decision was a bad signal for the country.
He said, “If the government has decided to set up a committee to consider granting amnesty to Boko Haram under the watchful eyes of the National Security Adviser without compensating people that have been killed, it then goes to show that something is fundamentally wrong with our society and government.
“How can President Goodluck Jonathan, who, not long ago, said he could not grant amnesty to ghosts, now decide to set up a committee for amnesty? During the administration of his boss, the late Umar Yar’Adua, he did not go about chasing the Niger Delta militants.
“Rather, the citizens from the South-South region went and talked to their boys to lay down their arms and engage the government constructively. The question is: who are the members of this Boko Haram? If the government is not careful, this amnesty for Boko Haram will encourage insurgencies throughout the country.
“It means that if you have to get government’s attention, you have to engage in lawlessness. The granting of amnesty to Boko Haram goes to show that lawlessness is a profitable venture in Nigeria. It will encourage the younger generation to embark on lawlessness so that government will give them attention.
“Honestly, as Christians from the North who have suffered the brunt of the Boko Haram insurgency, we are saying no to amnesty and if Jonathan is going ahead to consider amnesty for them, in view of the over 2,000 Nigerian Christians that have been killed in the North, burnt churches and business premises, he must be ready to engage the Christians because the silence of the church does not mean that we don’t know what to do.
“Boko Haram members didn’t tell us that they are fighting because of poverty, unemployment and hunger. But they said they want an Islamic state. Is that the reason why government now wants to have a dialogue with them and thereby pave the way for more states in the North? Nigerians are watching carefully; but they should know that by encouraging lawlessness, they still have the forces of Christians in Nigeria to contend with and we will not take it.”
But the General Secretary of CAN, Dr. Musa Asake, said he would only comment after the committee had completed its work.
He said, “Let’s wait for the committee to finish their work and when the committee gives their own recommendation, it is then we can comment. Now, it is just for the committee to look at the whole issue and make a recommendation. Normally, nobody is saying there should not be amnesty, but we are saying amnesty for who?”
But the Arewa Consultative Forum, on Friday, hailed the decision of the President to set up a committee to look into the call for amnesty for Boko Haram.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Mr. Anthony Sani, in a telephone conversation with one of our correspondents, said it had always been the position of the forum that the insurgents be given amnesty to prepare the groundwork for negotiation with the group.
He said it was only logical for the Federal Government to explore other options to tackle the Boko Haram issue since the use of force had failed.
He said the offer of amnesty would bring out some of those involved in the raging security crisis in the North contrary to the claim of the government that they were faceless.
Sani said that the mere declaration that the Boko Haram was faceless without taking further steps would not solve the problem.
He said, “This is what we have been canvassing; we have been saying that since the use of force has failed, why not use other options, the option of amnesty.
“Government has been insisting that they are ghosts, they are faceless. Amnesty may be a way of bringing them out.
“All of them may not come out at the beginning; some may come out and the process of dialogue would start from there,” he said
A former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, hailed the decision of the government to consider amnesty for Boko Haram members and described it as “great news,” which according to him, would put an end to the security crisis and wanton loss of lives in the country.
He called on the sect to honour the government gesture by laying down their arms and coming to the dialogue table.
Asked about the refusal of the FG to compensate victims of the sect’s murderous attacks, the retired CP noted that this would cost a lot of money which the government may not be able to pay.
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Most of the people that are against amnesty is either they are ignorant or they dont care about the flight of the innocent civillians.
ReplyDeletewhen the president is curupt; the whole country will be::::jonathan is a curupt leader the is why this country is still like this: the will all die untimely death soon:
ReplyDeleteMr President. i can only advise you to listen to the voice of majority of nigerians otherwise you yourself and the so called northern elders leaders will have it like Ghadafi of libya. mark this word i said today! Even the deads will rise up against you.
ReplyDeleteTell us any other option u think presient should apply....assuming u ar president of dis coountry
DeleteNigeria is heading towards doom if we think we cannot for once behave like Americans to give another party chance. Let it be anybody BUHARI, Xtain or Muslim, even pegan from another party period.
ReplyDeleteMost of the victims of BH are xtians but the whole truth is silent because majority of the northern leaders are muslems.This leaders are interested with amnesty to use it politically or religiously againt the xtians.Abubakar Tsav is a muslem that's why is speaking like that.He should try such comments in Benue if he's really an indegene and see the result.Ideally the victims are the ones that need amnesty or to be considered.
ReplyDeleteThoughts of a Seeker..RE: MY CALL FOR DIALOGUE..I made a profuse and passionate call for dialogue with the Haramists. I canvassed amnesty from prosecution. I lampooned any and every thought cum argument for amnesty with cash settlement/incentives and I maintain that position without equivocation. I repudiate any attempt to make brigandage, banditry and bellicosity lucrative and such is almost becoming a policy of this regime. From the juicy Waterways contracts given to Tompolo, Atake Tom and Asari Dokubo to the 2.5b Anti-Pipeline Vandalization carrot being dangled at Fredrick Fasehun's OPC and the money backed amnesty deal presently in the works for the Haramists the summon bonum is simply that ours is a nation where violence pays, sad! With the present approach this regime is wittingly and or unwittingly legitimising and institutionalising terror as a vocation de facto. This ride is ominous and this path impish. What happens to the memories of those barbecued by the Haramists? What happens to the Churches burnt and lives lost? What happens to the properties lost and families dislocated? What happens to our collective psyche as a people? And why are we building an industry for terror? Countrymen and Compatriots I am persuaded beyond doubt that immunity from prosecution is sufficient a chip for dialogue and will suffice to win the peace if well managed, to reward terrorists and terror with cash in the name of amnesty is ungodly, satanic and impish but alas another job for the boys and a new window for greed and graft opens, sad! We MUST rise in unison against this charade and say NO to this Shenanigans. We must say to all those in support of this sour pill THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN and stand up to be counted for right. May God Help Us. So Mote It Be. Amen. - Dr. ChukwuDumebi Nkemcho Nwaokobia Snr. BB Pin 33175219. Follow us on twitter.com/thethirdforum and on facebook.com/thethirdforum . Please re-broadcast if you love peace, justice and TRUTH....till it gets to them all
ReplyDeleteDr, pls speak English. A qualified dr is one dt can communicate wit the majority in d simplest form of language. Bros, which uni gave u "Dr"?
ReplyDeleteOne thing is certain, PDP and GEJ are now using the amnesty bait for political gains, we are watching, let them try and probably succeed in wining some votes from the North, then loose all the votes they stand to get from the South. We are not mumu as they think. The people that voted you into power are being slaughtered by some mad idiots in their churches and instead of protecting them you are dining with their enemies for cheap political gains. We are all watching.
ReplyDeleteI bet u after the amnesty this idiot will continue their evil act. watch
ReplyDelete