BOKO HARAM REJECTS AMNESTY PACKAGE?

THE Federal Government’s proposed plan to grant amnesty to Boko Haram sect members may have been rejected by the members.

According to online reports yesterday, the group which was said to have spoken through its spokesman, Abu Daram, to the Hausa service of the BBC stated that their reason for not accepting is that they do not recognise democracy as a form of government.

This group which appears to be a faction opposed to the group which had asked for amnesty said it does not agree with the constitution of the Federal Government, stressing that justice could only be found in the Quran.

The Borno State Commisioner for Information and Culture, Mr Inuwa Bwala appealed to the group to see reason and embrace dialogue with a view to restoring lasting peace in Borno State.

A credible source however told online site, SaharaReporters, that only the Shura Council of Jama’atu Ahl-Sunnati Lil Da’awati Wal Jihad, also known as Boko Haram, can decide whether the sect will accept the proposed amnesty being advanced by Nigeria’s government. The council is led by Imam Abubakar Ibn Shekau.

The source explained that the Shura Council is Boko Haram’s apex council and highest decision-making organ of the sect. He added that all cells of the organization are represented in the council.

The source explained that everything about the proposed amnesty would be put to deliberation and thereafter subjected to the group’s Islamic theology and jurisprudence.

“Shura Council may surprise Nigerians, because they may agree and may not agree,” said the source. He added: “It depends on their understanding and Islamic theology and the jurisprudences they are following. They are above what people think about them, they are highly ideological and hold their beliefs high. They are committed Mujahideens and highly committed to their cause. I know this rather well.”

The source continued: “They are not jokers as others think about them; you need a serious and holistic approach to contain this ideology. You know the two people that repositioned the sect were Muhammad Yusuf and Muhammad Alli. They were both motivated by the 13th Islamic cleric  Ibn Taymiyya, who was a staunch defender of Sunni Islam based on strict adherence to the Qur’an and authentic Sunna (practices) of the Prophet Muhammad.

Ibn Taymiyya believed that these two sources contain all the religious and spiritual guidance necessary for salvation in the hereafter.

Thus he rejected the arguments and ideas of both philosophers and Sufis regarding religious knowledge, spiritual experiences and ritual practices.”  

In addition, the source disclosed that the Shura Council would act according to the tenets of their faith. “Ibn Taymiyya was said to have disagreed with many of his fellow Sunni scholars because of his rejection of the rigidity of the schools of jurisprudence in Islam.

He believed that the four accepted schools of jurisprudence had become stagnant and sectarian, and also that they were being improperly influenced by aspects of Greek logic and thought as well as Sufi mysticism.

His challenge to the leading scholars of the day was to return to an understanding of Islam in practice and in faith, based solely on the Qur’an and Sunna,” Saharareporters’ source noted. The same source once disclosed that Boko Haram had developed a sophisticated leadership structure that includes several departments headed by highly trained personnel and charged with specific assignments.

Meanwhile, according to 247 ureports, the Northern Elders Forum which met with President Goodluck Jonathan last week had presented a Boko Haram Amnesty Package to the presidency.

The package was said to contain a 9-point list as follows
1. A Ministry of Northern Affairs established like the Niger Delta Ministry.

2. Each Boko Haram member who embraces the amnesty will receive an initial cash reward of N3 million naira to start up a business.

3. Boko Haram members who embrace the amnesty program will be given a house by the Federal Government.

4. Boko Haram leaders who embraced the amnesty program will be given a cash gift of N20 million naira each and other juicy packages will also follow.

5. Selected Boko Haram members from each zone will be flown abroad for training, just as the Niger Delta militants enjoyed.

6. Each Boko Haram member will be on a monthly salary of N100,000 for a period of 3 years.

7. Federal Government will rebuild Borno, Yobe and other states they claimed the JTF destroyed.

8. Security contract will be given to Boko Haram leaders to secure the North.

9. JTF will be completely withdrawn from the Northern states, where Boko Haram operates.

When contacted on the veracity of the demands, the Senior Special Assistant to the president on media, Dr Rueben Abati said he was not aware.

According to him, the Northern elders are expected to prepare a position paper for the president and they are yet to do so.

Abati said it was not possible that a position paper that has not been submitted will be found online.

Source: Tribune