Amnesty my bom bom. After Boko-Haram, who next? everybody is looking for amnesty. oya, me too, I want Amnesty. I'm not going to school again. does he not see that this is a game of chess? He feels like he's backed into a corner and he's checkmated but maybe his advisers are just the problem. if he doesn't end it here, another set of terrorists would come and get their demands. A Ph.D holder succumbing to the power and demands of illiterate gunmen with kegs of gunpowder. I though wisdom was greater than brute force? why is our president not thinking straight? I still think there's a problem with his advisers. They have his ears and all they say is rubbish!!!

Those that killed Igbos In Jos in 1945 were granted amnesty, those that killed them in kano in 1954 were also granted amnesty and those that killed over 70,000 in Igbos in 1966 in the North were also granted amnesty. Gej knows quite well that amnesty will not stop the violence, I don't think he is a fool.

VEX NO DEY KILL PERSON... TAKE HEART,IF GEJ NO KILL ALL OF UNA, JOIN BEYONCE ABI NA DESTINY CHILD SING; "I AM A SURVIVER, AM GONNA MAKE IT AND SURVIVE , KEEP ON SURVIVING"....

if amnesty is granted to Boko Haram, Nigeria will become a failed state

more geopolitical zones may decide to create their own rebel group and armed struggle.

the poverty in the North is not unique to the North, there is poverty everywhere

mikeansy: if amnesty is granted to Boko Haram, Nigeria will become a failed state

more geopolitical zones may decide to create their own rebel group and armed struggle.

the poverty in the North is not unique to the North, there is poverty everywhere

Please explain to me what you mean by "failed state" and give me an example of one or two failed states you know of. The worst thing that will happen if we don't make bold moves to arrest this BH problem is all out war, and that state is worse than any failed state you can come up with.

I'd recommend that some of you folks read up on the grievances of these people, poverty is merely a symptom of the marginalization and abuse these people have suffered for decades at the hands of their criminal 'leaders' and their co conspirators in the south, including educated southerners like Eze Onlytruth and others, who continue to trivialize the pains suffered by the aggrieved people

ndu_chucks:

Please explain to me what you mean by "failed state" and give me an example of one or two failed states you know of. The worst thing that will happen if we don't make bold moves to arrest this BH problem is all out war, and that state is worse than any failed state you can come up with.

I'd recommend that some of you folks read up on the grievances of these people, poverty is merely a symptom of the marginalization and abuse these people have suffered for decades at the hands of their criminal 'leaders' and their co conspirators in the south, including educated southerners like Eze Onlytruth and others, who continue to trivialize the pains suffered by the aggrieved people

No, my friend ndu_chucks, the worst thing that can happen is to allow murderers to continue killing unarmed Nigerians.
War would be BY FAR a better option than to allow mass murderers overawe the nation.
War was declared against barely armed Eastern Nigeria, and 2 million people starved to death as part of war policy.
Maybe it is time to declare all out war in Northern Nigeria.
Nigeria should win, like she won against Biafra. What do you say about that? lol

Onlytruth:

No, my friend ndu_chucks, the worst thing that can happen is to allow murderers to continue killing unarmed Nigerians.
War would be BY FAR a better option than to allow mass murderers overawe the nation.
War was declared against barely armed Eastern Nigeria, and 2 million people starved to death as part of war policy.
Maybe it is time to declare all out war in Northern Nigeria.
Nigeria should win, like she won against Biafra. What do you say about that? lol

You are a fool for implying that a whole region is BH.mumu

ndu_chucks:

You are a fool for implying that a whole region is BH.mumu

Hehehe!
Now, you know how it feels to be cornered, like Ojukwu was cornered in 1966 after you guys had completed THREE organized mass murders of Igbo/Eastern Nigerians in the North.
The Igbo nation was baying for independence. Ojukwu would have been killed or toppled by mass Igbo revolution in the East if he didn't declare Biafra. Well, he did, and your brother Murtala Muhammed (notice that I did not mention Gowon) responded with more killings of Igbo during the war proper.

Now, you have Boko Haram. I dare you to either secede or invite war.
BTW you will not smell Nigeria's presidency for long. So, tell your brothers to calm down and wait. Just like you expected Ojukwu and Easterners to calm down and wait.
Dalu o.

Sincere 9gerian: Typical of SR. Is this not the same SR that has been the mouth piece of Boko haram all the while? SR is the NUMBER ONE propagator of the activities of Boko haram.

Since the Boko haram mayhem started, no suggestion of possible ways of ending the crisis has emanated from SR. Not even one. All we read is criticisms of any strategy adopted by govt.

What do I expect next from SR? I expect SR to blast us very soon with a news report with a headline like "Boko haram rejects amnesty". Watch out!

The conclusion that can be drawn from the attitude of SR is that they want the crisis to continue. SR is profiting from the crisis.

Even if the president had said no to amnesty to Boko haram and 99% of leaders from that region are suggesting amnesty as the way forward, it is only wise and sensible for the president to give amnesty a try. Otherwise, leaders from that region would accuse the president of being insensitive.

Again, if the leaders of the north are clamouring for amnesty, and the govt bends backwards to consider amnesty, the onus will be on the leaders in the north to persuade Boko haram members to come out from hiding and embrace amnesty.

And Why should military chiefs be enraged over amnesty? I'm sure the foot solders that die daily in this conflict wouldn't mind amnesty if that will bring peace.

Though, I'm skeptical about whether Boko haram will accept amnesty and peace but the leaders of the north know better. In any case, if the govt eventually grants amnesty and certain elements of Boko haram remain recalcitrant, then the president would be justified in using maximum force.

Furthermore, elements of Boko haram that remain recalcitrant after amnesty will lose a measure of sympathy they currently enjoy from some segments in the north.

Consequently, any subsequent action of the govt will enjoy greater support and cooperation in the north.


However, the security forces should be very vigilant even if the govt goes ahead to offer amnesty. This is to avoid the sect re-grouping within the period.

But my attitude has always been, if amnesty will bring relative peace and allow us to move on as a country, why not? If asked to choose between amnesty leading to immediate relative peace and another 5 to 10yrs of fighting and killings, which will you choose?

I think this amnesty will every community to form their own militant group so as to enjoy the amnesty every northern youth will enjoy.

ndu_chucks:

Please explain to me what you mean by "failed state" and give me an example of one or two failed states you know of. The worst thing that will happen if we don't make bold moves to arrest this BH problem is all out war, and that state is worse than any failed state you can come up with.

I'd recommend that some of you folks read up on the grievances of these people, poverty is merely a symptom of the marginalization and abuse these people have suffered for decades at the hands of their criminal 'leaders' and their co conspirators in the south, including educated southerners like Eze Onlytruth and others, who continue to trivialize the pains suffered by the aggrieved people

Well I have no interest in giving you a lecture on Government & Politics. But States fail when the central government looses control of its affairs. it could be economic or security driven. We saw the consequences of splinter Rebel groups in Liberia and the violence and war that ensued. We also seen in history the consequences of loss of control in Congo and Ivory Coast.

You do not paper the cracks while laying the foundation for more future troubles and claim that is the only soluton on hand. Amnesty is no solution, I repeat Amnesty is no solution. We seem to be creating a welfare state for criminals but nothing for law abiding citizens and also curiously nothing for the victims of these violence. In essence we are fueling the emergence of a violence-for-cash scheme.

You claim the true grieviance of Boko Haram members and Northerners is poverty. But you fail to explain whether this poverty is unique to the North? is'nt there poverty in every other part of the country? This is about choices. All Nigerians are faced with the same poverty and situations and some others have made other peaceful choices to survive against all odds.

When it suits you, you claim Boko Haram does not respresent the North and yet you turn around to suggest an amnesty programme for Boko Haram must include a special economic programme for the North and a welfare state for the generality of Northern Youths. It seems to me that you need to make up your mind on whether you consider Boko Haram a bunch of freedom fighters representing Northern Interests or whether you consider Boko Haram terrorists and criminals?

Just before we reward the violence by Boko Haram we need to reflect on our History.

Once upon a time a bunch of renegade soldiers targeted the political establishment. The Government was overthrown and the coup de ta was characterised as ethnically motivated because of the number of Northerners who died in that coup. The counter coup did not target just soldiers or just the political establishment. It targeted everything that walks from the East and an o'rgy of killings ensued. This eventually led to the 1967 -1970 Civil war! The excuse for those who went on the killing rampage till date was that the renegade soldiers who plotted the first coup were never purnished and Justice was not truly done in the eyes of the North.

Today Boko Haram discriminately targets churches and places with large concentration of Southerners, which leads to the question what will the story be if this was Hausa Fulani under attack? Today we are not talking about Justice for the victims, no compensation for the victims, no need to deal with criminals instead the popular argument is to reward them with a welfare state!
Attacks on emirs and mosques seem to be always attempted and never succeeds. Politicians from the North who like Politicians from elsewhere are corrupt are not under any special threat from Boko Haram and yet churches and christains are blown up on daily bases. You can believe anything you like Ndu_chuks but the suggestion that the fundamental struggle of Boko Haram is economic in nature is a shameful misrepresentation of the facts by Northerners to exploit a very difficult situation for economic gains.

All of this fits into the truth which is the fact that Nigeria has come to be a zerosome game where everybody does all it can to milk what it wants from the central Government.

The North is not in a unique situation. Poverty is everwhere. The only answer to most of our problems is true Fedralism. Let all govern themselves using their own resources. The immigration trobles along the Northern boarders, the difficulty in conducting a proper census and planning, the challenges with corruption, the quest in the Niger-Delta for resource control, the wish of the North to introduce stricter sharia laws . . . . .all of these presures will be reduced if we practice true fedralism or a confedration.

Nigeria is too diverse in culture, religion and way of life to operate under a unitary system of Government. This I think informs the name as a FEDERAL REPUBLIC!!!!!

Amnesty is not the answer . . .it simply amounts to a welfare state for criminals!!!!!

If boko haram is granted amnesty, my bet is they'll use it to regroup. Then come out again in a year or two for more violence.

I guess we should all get ready for more action in a war or two. We should join hands and fight them.

All young men should enlist into the military today, get training, and be willing to be deployed to maidugiri when the fire begins.

All those who agree with the highlighted statement and are willing to enlist and deploy to maidugiri should hit LIKE

mikeansy:

When it suits you, you claim Boko Haram does not respresent the North and yet you turn around to suggest an amnesty programme for Boko Haram must include a special economic programme for the North and a welfare state for the generality of Northern Youths. It seems to me that you need to make up your mind on whether you consider Boko Haram a bunch of freedom fighters representing Northern Interests or whether you consider Boko Haram terrorists and criminals?

You can continue to bury your head in the sand if you wish, but the fact remains that thousands of youths, women, and even kids, are currently locked up in our jails and labelled Boko Haram by the government, while the most extreme of the BH members are roaming around freely and joining forces with Ansaru and other international terrorist organizations.

The purpose of the amnesty is to set free the thousand sf youths who are currently used as foot soldiers, remove their incentives to be sympathetic to the violent group, destabilize the most violent wing of BH, and to ultimately isolate the most extreme of them, for vaporization.

The current strategy of dealing with Boko Haram is not working and more Nigerians are dying daily as a result of the failed policies. The proposed amnesty, if implemented sensibly will significantly reduce the bloodshed and the killings of innocent Nigerians from the North, East, West,and the South. That is good enough for me.

You, of course, have a right to continue to fight your imaginary war against the North, but I remind you that civil war is over and you lost. Define Boko Haram as you see fit, that's your choice. I'd give more credence to Azazi'a (RIP) definition than yours.

The bottom line for me is that I welcome any plan that will reduce the violence. Period! Amnesty granted to MEND significantly reduced violence in the SS and I and other well meaning Nigerians are willing to try it in the North.

naptu2:

Yes. Afghanistan.

Besides, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

Ok, so can you tell us whose freedom fighter boko haram is. Who are those that consider boko haram as freedom fighters? Let us know them.

amazing!!!!!

This is the kind of lopsided view on things I have come to expect from folks like Ndu_chuks
A man who spends essays and essays calling for compensation of Boko Haram foot soldiers but nothing for the victims of their violence is telling others to bury their head in the sand
A man who was part of a people who never for once gave the security forces the support it needs in terms of reporting who within their community are the terrorists but turns around to claim the military strategy has failed and hence amnesty must be granted has the temerity to tell me to bury my head in the sand.

Ndu_chuks you and your likes should not just bury your heads in the sand but you must also cover your faces in shame as you continue to stand by terrorists against your supposed countrymen.

The day that Nigeria grants any form of amnesty to Boko Haram and its co-conspirators will open the flood gates for emergence of rebel groups that this Nation will not survive. Let it be on record that the Nigerian Government was reminded of its responsibility to defend the sovereignty of this country and also to defend her against terror no matter how hard it is.

But remember this. No matter what position Jonathan takes on this issue, in the end the so called creation of Ministry for Northern affairs and the welfare state that will pay benefits to criminals and nothing to victims of terrorists will need the approval of both houses of National Assembly. The last time I checked Hausa-Fulani does not constitute 2/3 majority of the House. We will meet there, such a sectional introduction of a welfare state will clearly never be done by Presidential fiat. This ridiculous Amnesty programme will be defeated by the Legislature!!!!!

The poverty in the North is not unique to the North. If Hausa-Fulani political establishment can not support security agencies to weed out the criminals in their midsts let the violence continue!

All true lovers of peace will support all means to fish out Boko Haram and deal with them severely. It is unbelievable that those who support this violence-for-cash scheme called amnesty programme can lay claim to being peace loving.

toshmann:
Ok, so can you tell us whose freedom fighter boko haram is. Who are those that consider boko haram as freedom fighters? Let us know them.

Of course people who subscribe to their brand of radical islam and their ideology, who else?

People seem to suggest that the amnesty will be a blanket and unconditional amnesty and that all members of boko haram will accept the amnesty.

Remember that not everybody accepted the Niger-Delta amnesty deal. Where is Henry Okah today? Where is Okah's brother? Where is John Togo? Where is Cynthia White? What would be the effect of using very valuable intelligence that's provided by boko haram members who accept the amnesty deal?

However, the amnesty deal helped to put an end to certain criminal activities that were happening under the guise of militancy. I watched a documentary in which a woman was complaining that her young daughter was raped by militants. Some militants extorted money from citizens. It was very difficult to carry out projects like road construction, because the contractors would be kidnapped. But now, things are much better due to the amnesty deal.

I believe that economic packages should be put in place, but I don't think that it should be limited to paying allowances or establishing ministries. I'm more interested in things that would improve the living conditions of the poor man on the street.

Measures that should be put in place to drive the economic rebirth of Northern Nigeria.

1) Resuscitation of the railways: Just imagine what would have happened if all the sea/river ports in southern Nigeria were shut indefinitely? Well, the north is currently experiencing something similar. In the past, goods from companies such as Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN), Gongoni, Vegfru, Nasco, etc and agricultural produce from farms were taken to other parts of Nigeria or brought to the ports by trains. The trains are the ships of northern Nigeria. Yet, for about ten years or more the trains stopped running. Thankfully the service has started again, but we need to ensure that it is reliable and regular and that more rail lines are laid to open up other parts of northern Nigeria.

2) Grazing areas and agricultural extension: The government should set up grazing areas for cattle rearers and ensure that these areas are well irrigated all year round. Agricultural extension officers should be deployed to teach the herders new methods of animal husbandry. Cold rooms and meat and milk processing factories should be set up. There's no reason why all the beef eaten in fast food restaurants in Nigeria should not come from cows reared in Nigeria.

3) The government should also assist the textile industry to ensure that it returns to good health. Such assistance should come in the form of loans, better enforcement of import laws by the customs (to prevent illegal Chinese made cloth from flooding the market), etc.

4)Electricity: It is very important that power supply is improved (especially to Kano City) so that the factories that have closed down will begin production again.

Ngwakwe: Justice is good and great. However, truth, repentance and reconciliation are preferable if and only if, the exercise will bring lasting peace and security.

If Boko Boys and Girls will come back to their senses that their ideology of Islamizing Northern Nigeria is futile and Dead on arrival.

If the Cabals sponsoring Boko Boys and Girls for religious and political reasons have come to the conclusion that this business is a fruitless venture and want to save the remainder of their already damaged reputation and completely abandon this monster.

I am of the opinion, that Truth (ascertaining the level of lost incurred by Boko Haram victims families and compensating them in a fair and justifiable manner) and Reconciliation (granting amnesty to Boko Haram operatives on the condition that what had happened will never happen again) Committee should be setup up to end this insecurity issues for a lasting peace to reign.

I know there are international best practices in fighting terrorism and that's where the Military Chiefs are basing their rejection of this Amnesty proposal. However, let's remember that US military chiefs will always say that insurgency cannot be defeated militarily without Political dimension / reconciliation.

Let's try Nigerian formula, remember amnesty was granted to Kidnappers in Abia State on a certain condition which the Kidnapper broke before JTF was then fully mobilized to crush them without mercy.

I wouldn't want any amnesty granted to boko haram members if the families of thousands of their victims are not included in the package. Those people that are killed by boko violent acts are not animals. They've done nothing wrong to deserve untimely deaths. If a terrorist can get a juicy amnesty package for their murderous acts, their innocent victims deserve better. Many Husbands have become widowers, many wives have become widows and many children have become orphans. Many people have lost their bread winners. What's going to be their own fate. Just accept it? Or do you want the families of the victims to start their own bombing before their voice is being heard too?

Joeadamu86: At least we have a president that listens..i prefer him than someone who is arrogant and always adamant. All we are praying for is for the evil sect Boko Haram to truly repent and stop killing innocent people,we want our dear country to grow and remain stable in all ramifications..

Hum, so the solution is to hope the serial mass killers will stop killing. And just like this the government says: we will give Amnesty, and then boko haram says "we are not sure yet".
What happens between now and the time when boko haram "accepts" Amnesty:
1)killing spree, they can kill as much people as they want, because they know an Amnesty is waiting for them.
2)mass recruitment: now that every northerner knows Amnesty is waiting for boko haram and that this provides a big legitimization of boko haram, you can bet that parents will enroll all their kids into boko haram.
3)The big chiefs of alqaida will soon be walking Nigerian soil freely.
4)Investment is dead: Nigeria is now a state that sponsors terrorism.
5)The South is only too aware of this, so the next stage is a bloody civil war that will redefine the borders.

naptu2: Measures that should be put in place to drive the economic rebirth of Northern Nigeria.

1) Resuscitation of the railways: Just imagine what would have happened if all the sea/river ports in southern Nigeria were shut indefinitely? Well, the north is currently experiencing something similar. In the past, goods from companies such as Peugeot Automobile Nigeria (PAN), Gongoni, Vegfru, Nasco, etc and agricultural produce from farms were taken to other parts of Nigeria or brought to the ports by trains. The trains are the ships of northern Nigeria. Yet, for about ten years or more the trains stopped running. Thankfully the service has started again, but we need to ensure that it is reliable and regular and that more rail lines are laid to open up other parts of northern Nigeria.

2) Grazing areas and agricultural extension: The government should set up grazing areas for cattle rearers and ensure that these areas are well irrigated all year round. Agricultural extension officers should be deployed to teach the herders new methods of animal husbandry. Cold rooms and meat and milk processing factories should be set up. There's no reason why all the beef eaten in fast food restaurants in Nigeria should not come from cows reared in Nigeria.

3) The government should also assist the textile industry to ensure that it returns to good health. Such assistance should come in the form of loans, better enforcement of import laws by the customs (to prevent illegal Chinese made cloth from flooding the market), etc.

4)Electricity: It is very important that power supply is improved (especially to Kano City) so that the factories that have closed down will begin production again.

I think the north needs to do that on its own.
Because the South is not going to waste its money on "ressurecting the noth".
You guys keep killing our people and expect to be paid for it ! To hell !!!

patriot4:
I think the north needs to do that on its own.
Because the South is not going to waste its money on "ressurecting the noth".
You guys keep killing our people and expect to be paid for it ! To hell !!!

Two questions:

1) "South is not going to waste its money on ressurecting the noth"?

2) "You guys"?

What do they mean by those two statements above?

The question is, who are we giving the amnesty to? The people that commit the crime or the people that are sponsoring it? Nigerians, when do we stop being hypocrite of the truth?