There has been calls from all quaters for amnesty to be granted to Boko Haram. It is getting to the point where I am begining to question whether the word amesty means something different to the various advocates of amnesty to Boko Haram.

Here is my dictionary definition of amnesty and this is the definition I recognise:

am·nes·ty/ˈæmnəsti/ Show Spelled [am-nuh-stee] Show IPA noun, plural am·nes·ties, verb, am·nes·tied, am·nes·ty·ing.
noun
1. a general pardon for offenses, especially political offenses, against a government, often granted before any trial or conviction.
2. Law. an act of forgiveness for past offenses, especially to a class of persons as a whole.
3. a forgetting or overlooking of any past offense.
verb (used with object)
4. to grant amnesty to; pardon

Something very important that I like to point out is, when you talk about amnesty or pardon . . . . .you are assuming past offences and in most cases the offender would have shown regret or remorse.

Given that as we speak Boko Haram is ready to strike next week and do not regret their past offences . . . .can we really use the word amnesty when talking about Boko Haram? Or does amnesty in the Nigerian context mean something totally different?

Lets hear your thoughts guys!!!!!!! I will like to hear from both advocates of amnesty and those who oppose!

When you say Boko Haram is ready to strike next week, its not clear who/what you mean by Boko Haram. Jails are filled with literally thousands of youths, women, and children, classified as Boko Haram. Most of these prisoners and their counterparts not yet arrested, can be rehabilitated and forgiven and will show remorse if given the opportunity.

No one is advocating granting of amnesty to the extreme, violent, and dangerous elements among terrorists. Making a blanket statement that Boko Haram will not be granted amnesty, as GEJ continues to do is irresponsible.

Bishop Kukah's perspective is a good one.

The trend shows that Boko Haram is still ready and willing to strike

Has there been any further bombings by Boko Haram since Sultan called for amnesty?

Has there been any further bombings since Elrufai and co called for amnesty?

The facts show that they are still willing to strike and thats what I mean by Boko haram are ready to strike next week.

Bishop Kukah's take on the issue means absolutely nothing. It is the kind of liberalism you see from preachermen and most times these views are not well thought out carefully.
What is the basis of correlating Nelson Mandela's forgiveness of apartheid after Mandela won Presidency and the apartheid regime has been kicked out of South Africa to an ongoing terror campaign against Nigeria?

Anyway thats by the by . . . . . .what does amnesty mean to you Alhaji Ndu_chuks.

mikeansy:

Anyway thats by the by . . . . . .what does amnesty mean to you Alhaji Ndu_chuks.

We seem to be bogged down by semantics. To be honest with you, we probably need to replace the word Amnesty as it relates to the Boko Haram issue, with the phrase "Lasting Solution", in our national discourse.

For me, that means, forgiving and rehabilitating BH members who give up their weapons and disavow violence, addressing legitimate concerns of marginalization and the problem of abject poverty in the Northern region, terminating the summary arrest and killings of relatives of suspected Boko Haram members, and isolating the most extreme among their members. Some of the tactics used to put MEND under wraps are surely in order here. This is what Amnesty means to me in this context.

It is unreasonable to give amnesty to extremists and murderers who are willing and ready to murder Christians and Muslims alike. Those elements must be hunted down vigorously and eliminated. On the other hand, the vast majority of the prisoners termed Boko Haram members are actually brainwashed victims who were easily converted to foot soldiers primarily because of their states of abject poverty. We need to give these people hope and forgiveness instead of leaving them hopeless and vulnerable to recruitment by terrorists.

Abject poverty in the North?

is there no poverty in other parts of Nigeria?

Has Nigeria not produced more Northern leaders? so who is marginalising who?
The only reason the south seem better is because people embraced the progress rooted in education, civilisation and through their individual enterprise worked hard for it. Is there any FG Government policy you can site that has led to the fact that people seem to be making progress in the South against all odds compared to their Northern counterparts?

If the Northen reaction to poverty which is common to all parts of Nigeria is to set off bombs, then I say let the violence continue because there is nothing unique about their situation!!!

mikeansy: Abject poverty in the North?

is there no poverty in other parts of Nigeria?

Has Nigeria not produced more Northern leaders? so who is marginalising who?
The only reason the south seem better is because people embraced the progress rooted in education, civilisation and through their individual enterprise worked hard for it. Is there any FG Government policy you can site that has led to the fact that people seem to be making progress in the South against all odds compared to their Northern counterparts?

If the Northen reaction to poverty which is common to all parts of Nigeria is to set off bombs, then I say let the violence continue because there is nothing unique about their situation!!!

People like you who should be demanding that your government ceases the marginalization and abandonment of millions of youths in the North, are here denying the disgrace of a marginalization. It is taking people like Bill Clinton and other respected world leaders to call out the Nigerian government on the issue.

You appear to be one of the intellectuals who prefer to bury their heads in the sand and ignore realities, as long as the fallout is not taking place in your neck of the woods. I am almost sure that you have never traveled extensively throughout the North. Visits to far North would give you a better perspective.

Amnesty means, give money to Boko haram so that they can pay for more arms and suicide bombers to terrorize Nigerians more.Those supporting it are simply playing to the gallery so that Boko Haram will not target them. They know the truth about those murderous boys.

ndu_chucks:

People like you who should be demanding that your government ceases the marginalization and abandonment of millions of youths in the North, are here denying the disgrace of a marginalization. It is taking people like Bill Clinton and other respected world leaders to call out the Nigerian government on the issue.

You appear to be one of the intellectuals who prefer to bury their heads in the sand and ignore realities, as long as the fallout is not taking place in your neck of the woods. I am almost sure that you have never traveled extensively throughout the North. Visits to far North would give you a better perspective.

I lived in Dingyadi under Bodinga LGA in Sokoto and taught Mathematics to students!!!!! So I Have seen the North thank you very much!

The poverty I saw in the North was no different from the poverty we see in the South where I come from.

The argument that Northern youths are marinalised assumes that there is some kind of youth programme for Southern youths. You and I know that nothing can be further from the truth. All Nigerians are faced with the same challenges of corruption, bad governance etc

mikeansy:

All Nigerians are faced with the same challenges of corruption, bad governance etc

I disagree with you on the characterization that the abject poverty and gross marginalization present in the North are no different from what obtained in the south. I'm sure we agree on the disagreement.

Regarding the quoted above, lets hope well meaning people like you will lead the youths in this country to revolt. Sitting idly and allowing extreme elements such as BH hijack the revolution is unhelpful. You should support actions including amnesty which would cripple the extreme and violent elements of our society.

ndu_chucks:

I disagree with you on the characterization of the abject poverty and gross marginalization present in the North are no different from what obtained in the south. I'm sure we agree on the disagreement.

Regarding the quoted above, lets hope well meaning people like you will lead the youths in this country to revolt. Sitting idly and allowing extreme elements such as BH hijack the revolution is unhelpful. You should support actions including amnesty which would cripple the extreme and violent elements of our society.

How do you cripple extremism by rewarding extremist behaviours with an amnesty programme

mikeansy:

How do you cripple extremism by rewarding extremist behaviours with and amnesty programme

You don't cripple extremism by rewarding extremist behaviours with an amnesty program. Most of the currently jailed BH members are essentially political prisoners and/or victims who should be given amnesty just as MEND members were given the same.

As I stated earlier, those unrepentant extremists among the BH members, still uncaught, must be hunted down and neutralized - I agree with you that those do not deserve amnesty.

Let me answer your question bluntly:

[size=14pt]AMNESTY IN NIGERIA MEANS SHARING PART OF THE CRUDE OIL PROCEEDS TO THOSE WHO FEEL THEY SHOULD BE ENJOYING IT WITH OGA AT THE TOP [/size]

Anyone saying d North has been marginalized is being economical wit d truth. Their leaders enjoy exploiting their ignorance. They ve ruled ds country more than any region.
Is there an avenue, we dont know of, that provide wht d Northern youths dont ve access to? They js refused to civilize, which is no one's fault.