I know this issue will eventually become Yoruba vs. Igbo so, I will respect all you tireless e-warriors' right to do what you do best - fight while Nigeria burns and decays. Most of us present today will, hopefully, be around in the next 30 - 40 yrs. So, to that end lets take a moment to think about what Nigeria will look like in the next 30 yrs given the past and current trend. Like I said earlier, I respect everyone's right to smash his or her computer keyboard just to out-do the other guy, virtual guy I might add. But when we're done with e-fighting, can we take a moment and check out the trend of a location we all call our country.

The reason I titled this piece 'At what point does a nation lose her moral right to imprison offenders' is based on the recent amnesty committee being set up by our president. We all know the word 'set up' is just cosmetic, its just to provide the needed soft-landing for the president to eventually hand out freedom to Kabiru Sokoto and the rest of Boko Haram warriors. From my tone you probably understand by now that I'm not sold to this whole idea, yes I dont and its for a reason. The reason is simple - when are we, as a nation, going to start extracting our own pound of flesh from those who are destroying this nation? American prisons are filled with both big and small men. Rod Blagoevich is in prison, and incase you dont know, his predecessor has been serving time in the penitentiary and, perhaps, would welcome Blago inside the slammer.

A cursory look at Nigeria from the 40s through today shows an alarming exponential increase in all manner of impunities. At this point its no longer impunity in the high places, that kind is, I believe, implicitly accepted as an incurable Nigerian phenomenon. The type that's dangerous now is this relatively new civilian impunity and lawlessness. To make it worse, our government can't even prosecute offenders. I'm not and will not absolve GEJ in this, I believe he's now deep into it. In 2012, Kabiru Sokoto masterminded Madalla blast, he was arrested and some people let him loose, he got rearrested and now - this? Over 40 people lost their loved ones and someday they will watch Kabiru leave the jail-house. He will leave the pen richer than he was cause' that's the meaning of amnesty and rehabilitation.

So, I ask - Do we still have the moral right to still hold a robber in prison? Where is the justification for keeping that petty thief in Kiri kiri? Why are we still still keeping that father who stole because he had no money to feed his family? why can't we rehabilitate him and let him go so that his children's lives can be bettered? Why are we this callous? If we can let people, who never told us they were hungry or jobless, kill over 3000 in space of 3-4 yrs go scot-free why shouldn't we posthumously pardon Anini and open the cage for Rev King?

When will this end? Fellow country men, do we want Nigeria or not? If we do why then are we not taking a stand and demanding that all offenders be put to jail. Before we go for eachother's throat, by that I mean Yoruba and Igbo, lets remember civil war, Odi, MKO election, Zaki biam, sharia riots, Berom vs Fulani, Akaluka, $12.5 billion oil windfall, farmers vs herders - need I go on? No one has ever been prosecuted for any of those, no one! And the list I made, which you and I agree, is just less than 0.1% of all the trouble we've been through yet it seems like we dont remember. To add to our endless list of shame it seems we've now arrived at a point where amnesty has become a tool - give my people some after all my brother gave your people one.

I understand that people are tired of the bombing and would rather want it solved here and now, I am too. But is there no other solution to our problems? By our 'problems' I mean our list of shame? Its obvious that different sections of this nation have different ways of life. North east and North west want a religious system, East wants to shape their future, and the West wants a system that fits their culture. Isn't this part of what Boko haram wants? Why do we have to let them kill 3000 before we give them amnesty? why not tell them to go have it so we can save lives? Is there any honest Nigerian who does not believe that giving each region the much needed space to develope is a no-brainer? I'm not talking about breaking up the country since we've all agreed to stick it out - I'm talking about extinguishing the source of our troubles.

If we all accept the source of our failure as a nation is this unnecessary ethnic fusion with no clear rules why dont we change it. Its a fusion that has given us unprosecutable offenders, its a fusion that's given us civil war, its a fusion that's given us military dictators who openly violated other groups due to the enormity of their home support, its a fusion that's made our leaders balance BS with BS - Alams coud not have been pardoned without giving it a national spread - Uwazurike, Asari, and Fasheun had to be arrested in a choreographed pattern to give it a national spread. Is this what we want?

We all need to stop this Yoruba vs. Igbo, North vs. South, and this vs. that nonsense before it gets too late. If we all need the same thing why dont we pull our strength together and demand an end to the source of our problem in the first place. But if hate eachother so much as to allow the nation limp from one era to another then maybe its time to call it an open season and let all offenders out of the cage, yes! amnesty to all.

A nation loses Her moral right to imprison offenders when it grants amnesty to terrorists and murderers.

@OP,sir, your epistle is a few years too late. Why did you not ask this question before the amnesty given to MEND and the youths of SS region?

The truth of the matter is that the amnesty program which was implemented in the SS, in favour of MEND, is a great success, by any measure. It significantly reduced the killings, kidnappings, and negative economic impacts. It is time to support the President in his latest effort at resolving the Boko Haram issue. I fully expect your support.

ndu_chucks: @OP,sir, your epistle is a few years too late. Why did you not ask this question before the amnesty given to MEND and the youths of SS region?

The truth of the matter is that the amnesty program which was implemented in the SS, in favour of MEND, is a great success, by any measure. It significantly reduced the killings, kidnappings, and negative economic impacts. It is time to support the President in his latest effort at resolving the Boko Haram issue. I fully expect your support.

This is one of the problem with Nigerians. Mention one country in the world apart from Nigeria that grants amnesty to terrorists and capital offenders? The truth is that Nigeria is a nation of impunity, petty thieves are given maximum sentence while the real offender are given national merit awards. How long do you think that we should continue down this road? With the introduction of the dangerous dimension of tribalism, I wonder if there will ever be a respite. I think that Boko haram went too far and they should be used to set a precedence. Anyone who thinks that amnesty will solve the Boko haram problem must be living in a world of fantasy.

ndu_chucks: @OP,sir, your epistle is a few years too late. Why did you not ask this question before the amnesty given to MEND and the youths of SS region?

The truth of the matter is that the amnesty program which was implemented in the SS, in favour of MEND, is a great success, by any measure. It significantly reduced the killings, kidnappings, and negative economic impacts. It is time to support the President in his latest effort at resolving the Boko Haram issue. I fully expect your support.

For your info, I never supported neither do I even like the word amnesty. I prefer justice to any nonsensical pupulist word. I expect FG to give the ND people justice, ND deserves to have enormous say on how their God given resource is exploited. Amnesty to MEND is simply a band-aid which will eventually unravel as soon as we experience a serious cash crunch. The right thing to do, which I understand you hate to hear, is - give MEND and Boko Haram justice. Isn't it funny how SA jailed Okah whereas Kabiru Sokoto will soon walk away with more money?

MEND asked for resource control - give it to them if its their right.
Boko Haram asked for sharia - give it to them too if its their right.

Let me ask you ndu_chuks, do you agree we should pay members of Boko haram as part of the amnesty package?
Do you agree we should pardon Okah, Rev King?
Do you agree we should give amnesty to all Nigerian prisoners?

Be waiting for your response.

OP, y waste MB on a tribal & religious bigot like "ndu_chucks? Back 2 topic, I support "Sharia" 4 d North & "Resource Control" 4 d South

Sam_Ikenna:

(1)Let me ask you ndu_chuks, do you agree we should pay members of Boko haram as part of the amnesty package?
(2)Do you agree we should pardon Okah, Rev King?
(3)Do you agree we should give amnesty to all Nigerian prisoners?

Be waiting for your response.

Answers:

(1)If monetary compensation is deemed necessary as an incentive, in a comprehensive rehabilitation program, by the committee of experts looking into the issue, I will not have any problem with it. I oppose to blanket payment for amnestying anyone.

(2)What kind of question is this, Okah was pardoned along with MEND we do not have the authority or power to pardon him f or being convicted in South Africa. As far as Rev. King is concerned, the President can pardon him if he wishes, sebi he pardoned Alams.

(3)This is a dumb question.

ndu_chucks: @OP,sir, your epistle is a few years too late. Why did you not ask this question before the amnesty given to MEND and the youths of SS region?

The truth of the matter is that the amnesty program which was implemented in the SS, in favour of MEND, is a great success, by any measure. It significantly reduced the killings, kidnappings, and negative economic impacts. It is time to support the President in his latest effort at resolving the Boko Haram issue. I fully expect your support.

Equating BH and MEND is insensitive

its fair to say that at this point every geopolitical zone needs its own insurgent campaign

it seems this is the only way Government responds to the needs of each geopolitical zone

let the violence continue

GEJ has shown that he has no resolve to do anything that will make the slightest break from the past. Shameful stuff from a man that nigerians solidly backed and voted into power.

The man called goodluck started off by talking about how he knew the people behind BH now he is granting amnesty to the same mass murderers. I personally take this as a limp cop-out and admission that the matter is beyond him and money should be thrown at a problem being tackled head-on by other west african states facing islamic militants.

Nigeria is the only country facing this menace that has resorted to throwing money at terrorists.

ndu_chucks:

Answers:

(1)If monetary compensation is deemed necessary as an incentive, in a comprehensive rehabilitation program, by the committee of experts looking into the issue, I will not have any problem with it. I oppose to blanket payment for amnestying anyone.

(2)What kind of question is this, Okah was pardoned along with MEND we do not have the authority or power to pardon him f or being convicted in South Africa. As far as Rev. King is concerned, the President can pardon him if he wishes, sebi he pardoned Alams.

(3)This is a dumb question.

I subscribe to your 'comprehensive rehabilitation program' but I'ld rather have Boko Haram members under-go such rehabilitation in prison than walk away with more money. Why some people want this shameful impunity to continue is mind boggling. Throwing money at muderers serves no one any purpose. If GEJ goes ahead with this poison chalice, with this kiss of death from the so-called Northern elders forum + progressives, he's finished. The same people who promised to make the nation ungovernable, the same people who never accepted the legitimacy of his presidency are now pushing him to pay cold-blooded murderers.

Instead of paying murderers, how about closing all almajiri camps and replacing them with proper schools and skill acquisition centers? How about institutions that'll add value to lives? Things that'll uplift the north in the next 10 - 15 yrs? I bet those asking for free money for those unrepentant little minded jihadists dont even think about the future.

It looks to me like core north is not as wise as I thought. If they were really smart they'ld be seeking for institutions and programs that last for ages considering the dearth of empathy that currently pervades Nigeria. Who knows, maybe GEJ is buying time, maybe he no longer believes in Nigeria and therefore would be more willing to pay murderers and have them confined to the north. But whatever game the Nigerian leadership is playing, my opinion is that it is dangerous and unnecessary. If there is anything the north needs more right now it is education! education!! education!!! Throwing money at Boko Haram will never get them to school neither will it turn around the abysmal literacy rate in the core north.

We're all poor in Nigeria. Yes, some are poorer than others. However, what is absolutely true is that perpetual poverty is a personal choice irrespective of any reason under the sun, historical injustice notwithstanding. Throwing money at a systemic failure and unreceptive culture is both a waste of resource and ungodly. Its either we fix the system or help the culture change from within. None of us made the north poor, in fact Gombe state gets more money than Anambara state yet Anambara people dont bomb their fellow country men. What's my point - (a) help the core north fix their broken education, or (b)Free them - they can have whatever theocratic government they desire. Throwing money at a culture or belief system that's at variance with yours is idiotic, unless you're counting down to the day you'll eventually pack and go.