NORTH INSISTS ON AMNESTY FOR BOKO HARAM MEMBERS

The Northern Traditional Rulers Council yesterday urged the federal government to reconsider its stand and offer amnesty to members of Boko Haram and other violent Islamic sects who are willing to embrace peace and reintegration into the larger society.

The call is a resolution that emerged from the council's meeting held at the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Muhammed Sa'ad Abubakar III.

In a statement issued by the coordinating secretary of the council and Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Najib Hussaini Adamu, the group comprising traditional rulers from across the North called for decisive action from the federal government to curb the "unfortunate escalation of insecurity in the country".

The statement read: "The meeting calls on the Federal Government to consider dialogue as the better option in resolving the crises. To this end, the federal government is called upon to reconsider its stand and offer amnesty to the insurgents who embrace the path of peace, reformation and reintegration with the larger society. This is the norm the world over and there exists a precedent in Nigeria."
It noted that the insurgency was not targeted at non-Muslims as the majority of the victims were Muslims, saying attempts on the lives of Emir of Kano, Shehu of Borno and Emir of Fika were testimonies to this fact.

The council further noted that the rising rate of youth unemployment offers militants a potent source of recruits and urged the federal government to take the necessary steps to create jobs and fight poverty.
It also reaffirmed the commitment of traditional leaders in the North to continue to work with governments at all levels to entrench peace in the nation.

The Northern Traditional Rulers Council expressed their condolences with families who have lost their relatives in the campaign of violence launched by Boko Haram.

The traditional rulers council's meeting and subsequent resolution comes about two weeks after President Goodluck Jonathan's visit to Yobe and Borno states, culminating in his reprimand of the latter's elders who had called for the withdrawal of the military task force (JTF) in the state during a town hall meeting.

Jonathan had insisted that if the elders of the state were not ready to take steps and ensure the insurgency is brought to an end, then "they should be ready to live with pains that it has created and perhaps forget issues of development".

The president had also said the federal government could not grant amnesty to "ghosts" given that members of the sect remained largely faceless. He was speaking in response to the request for amnesty for the sect's members.

Source: Thisday