AFENIFERE OPPOSES AMNESTY FOR BOKO HARAM •JONATHAN INAUGURATES DIALOGUE COMMITTEE TODAY

THE Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, on Tuesday expressed reservations against the move by Federal Government to grant amnesty to members of Boko Haram, saying doing so was offensive to common sense in all ramifications.

The group also counseled the political class against making inflammatory statements that were capable of overheating the polity ahead of 2015 elections.

Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, took these positions on Tuesday while addressing newsmen in his State of the Nation address at Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.

Chief Fasoranti, who was flanked by other leaders, including Chief Olu Falae, Prof Akinyemi Onigbinde, Bashorun Seinde Arogbofa, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Abagun Kole Omololu, Chief Supo Shonibare, among others, also stated that giving amnesty to the insurgents would be preposterous and retrogressive.

Fasoranti, who observed that never in the history of Nigeria, except during the civil war era had Nigerians been more insecure than now, explained that Afenifere’s stand was based on the fallout of the amnesty already granted in the Niger Delta region which had recorded monumental abuse, especially among the elite managers of the scheme.

“For instance, we agree that granting amnesty in the Niger Delta region per se is in order. But we find it hard to defend the monumental abuse going on, especially among the elite managers of the scheme and are disturbed as to whether the scheme will bring a lasting peace giving episodic restlessness still being demonstrated.

“Yet, we have created a set of emergency billionaires from amnesty while the conditions in the creeks remain virtually what they were.

“It is with this at the back of our mind that we have been so skeptical over the so-called amnesty for Boko Haram which is a much more dangerous group than the Niger Delta insurgents  who were known and whose demands were clear,” he said.

The Afenifere leader maintained that it would amount to a tragedy for the country to embark on another money-sharing spree in the name of granting amnesty to another group “with all the blood that has been shed.”

Fasoranti, who noted that the Boko Haram terrorists had been unfortunately complemented by the activities of kidnappers, assassins, armed robbers and others, advocated that any decision on Boko Haram should be holistic, saying the country should not be talking of the insurgents but also their victims as well as the causes of the menace with a view to ensuring that the situation did not repeat itself.

Chief Fasoranti decried the level of corruption in the country, noting in particular the pension scam and the lack of will on the part of government and agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to tackle the menace.

“In years past people talked of corruption in millions of naira, today they refer to it in billions and trillions with reckless impunity,” he said.

“The anti-graft war in the country has been put on comatose confirming the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s prediction seven years ago that a day was coming when EFCC officials knock at financial criminals’ doors, such people open the door and say ‘Sit down. What can we offer you-soft drinks or alcohol?’” he added.

Fasoranti also denounced the pardon granted by President Goodluck Jonathan to the former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepriye Alamieyeseigha and Major Bello Magaji, for crimes committed separately, noting that Afenifere’s position was that such discretion had not been exercised judiciously and for public good in the present instance.

On threat of another fuel subsidy removal, the Afenifere leader observed that the issue was disturbing as the government was yet to convince the public what constituted fuel subsidy.

According to him, the lack of convinction on the part of the public has thus given credence to the opinion that what the government calls subsidy is the cost of corruption in the management of the economy.

Chief Fasoranti called on government at all levels to critically examine ways of generating gainful employments for the growing number of Nigerian youths, which he estimated to be 60 million.

Speaking on the coming Centenary Celebration, Fasoranti wondered: “How can we honestly celebrate the arbitrary and ill-considered creation of a country plagued by growing insecurity, injustice, corruption and worsening poverty?”

He said the Afenifere was opposed to any elaborate and costly celebration which he argued could only foul the air and throw up more corrupt and fraudulent individuals at the end of the exercise.

“Perhaps we can only thank God for surviving so far. That is why if we must celebrate, it has to be done with deep empathy for the down-hearted and extreme caution with the hope of salvaging an already prostrate situation,” he counseled.

Amnesty committee appointment
President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of Barrister Aisha Wakil into the Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North.

The committee is scheduled for inauguration at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today by the President along with the Committee on Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons at 9am, one hour earlier than originally scheduled.

The committee, which is charged with the task of identifying and constructively engaging key leaders of Boko Haram, and developing a workable framework for amnesty and disarmament of members of the group, lost two members of its original appointees including Dr. Dati Ahmed and Comrade Shehu Sani, who turned down the appointment.

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, in Abuja on Tuesday, informed members of the committees of the change in the inauguration time and advised the all members to be seated by 08:30 a.m.  in readiness for the prompt commencement of the inauguration.

It advised members of the committees who reside outside the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to arrive in Abuja by Tuesday ahead of the inauguration.

On arrival in Abuja, the statement informed, they may contact Mrs. Esther Gonda, Permanent Secretary, Special Services, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on +2348033094325 for further information and logistics support.

Source: Tribune