₦airaland Forum

MeAboki:
You don't seem to understand my point because your response appears confused and at times even contradictory.

First of all, I'd like to say whenever one is faced with a problem he often also has a choice of possible options as solution, ranging from the best to the worst.

In the case of BH, the FG has predominantly chosen brute force, which has so far not worked; in view of which some ppl (named by the OP among many others) were advising the government to also consider amnesty as a parallel alternative.
- which unfortunately is being erroneously misconstrued as an endorsement and even support for BH (in most cases for apparently political/ethno-religious sentiment rather rational reasoning).

No, amnesty alone cannot address the issue of Boko Haram (as we know it) neither would it resolve any other problem of murderous nature by any group (be it OPC as in the example you gave) because amnesty by itself cannot and has never been a panacea for such problems.
As already mentioned, it simply offers a conduit for reducing the size/number from within the ranks of the enemy and thereby weakening it - in this case, targeting and offering its predominantly impoverished less committed foot soldiers an easy way out; so as to isolate the remaining die hards and especially the leadership for elimination.

You also need to appreciate that the real BH (not their political or criminal variants) are fighting a war of ideology where force alone cannot change their minds but could instead harden and even make them more entrenched in their resolve than before.
In fact students of history would recall how BH metamorphosized from a relatively peaceful sect to the radicalised brutally violent one that we have today; through mismanagement of the problem by successive governments by the use of excessive force; starting from Yar Adu'a's administration, as members of the sect were then being singled out for police brutality, culminating in the public extrajudicial killing of their leader, Mohammed Yusuf.
It would also be recalled that the sect had in its early days taken their cases of complaints to all relevant authorities but without success and subsequently decided take up arms, first to defend themselves but soon afterwards as a means for revenge against their immediate tormentors, the police; then against other law enforcement agents as well as rival clerics and finally to anyone, Christian or Muslim, they deem as an obstacle to their cause.

Uninformed southerners driven by propaganda are being misled to believe that majority of northers sympathize with BH; forgetting (on the contrary) that majority of them are in fact victims living in fear, afraid to speak out in case of brutal reprisals against them because BH elements usually embed themselves within the same community, as cover and also to gather intelligence on their next target.
Those who spoke out, including prominent leaders e.g. late Emir of Kano Ado Bayero, General Mamman Shuwa, GMB, IBB, Sultan etc have already paid with their lives or on the death list of those earmarked for assassination by BH.

Another reason why use of brute force alone is counter productive rests with fact that, in the course of their pursuit of the enemy, our soldiers (like other examples elsewhere, including USA military engaging similar tactics) end up traumatising, brutalising and even killing many among the civilian population they were supposed to protect; thereby losing out on the important battle of winning hearts and minds.
In the process, some of these civilians become easy targets of indoctrination and conversion, as these acts drive some of them into the willing arms of the enemy in order to take revenge against our soldiers.

The problem is no longer a regional issue but a national one, and the buck clearly rests at the doorstep of the government, whose function is to protect all its citizens.

Of course there have been no high profile trial of prominent suspects (e.g. Ndume, Madu Sharif etc) because the government of the day, headed by Goodluck Jonathan is courting them for continued support towards achieving his own personal agenda at the expense of many innocent Nigerians, caught up in the cross fire.
Jonathan is seemingly behaving like Nero, fiddling while Rome burnt, his government is plagued by blatant corruption and ineptitude arising from his divisive politics and misrule - even the international community are saying the same thing - including the use of force alone.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nigeria-has-capacity-but-lacks-will-to-tackle-boko-haram-says-us-official/160826/

Why is Ndume being tried in secrete? Why did Sherif run back to PDP if not for protection from investigation. Gov. Amaechi said BH is shooting because someone is paying (for the firearms and logistics), why has there not been any high profile arrest. Why has there not been any arrest in CBN as Davis indicted a top CBN staff (even if it is Sanusi)? It is not rocket science, war is EXPENSIVE. So, just cutting the source of funds to a terrorist group, and in most cases such groups die a natural death over time. Why has there not been a high profile arrest - even if it means witch-hunting the opposition as long as gej security chieves are sure such persons are behind BH? Except you are telling me, there is no APC member funding BH.

:
:
This is why some of us will not ask for amnesty, but we ask for justice. Justice on those providing the funds - without which BH will be history. And also some form of economic empowerment. I am not talking about the type of celebrity status that the Niger Delta militants have been elevated to, but a general economic empowerment for the readily available recruits into BH foot soldiers. If a man knows he can make a decent living without comitting suicide by joining a war he is bound to lose, he certainly will think twice before enlisting to join BH.

seanet02:
PDP and their religious sentiments

Kovic08:
rauf is a Muslim.. for that 2011 please correct it i know it's a mistake

before they crucify you now

dunkem21:
Thanks for at least accepting the lies being peddled by cramjones and you. Nigeria is at war with BH and their numbers is far greater than the NA. The reason why BH succeeds is because we have people like you just like their sponsors that are apologetic to their cause and will quickly pass the buck to the Govt forgetting that a lot of Generals from a particular region promised to heat up the polity and make the country ungovernable. If the govt goes hard on BH, they complain of genocide knowing that these people hide amongst citizens to perpetrate their devilish acts or would you really want a whole region levelled?
The terrorist group will never find their way down south because they cannot thrive and the terrains are not familiar with them. The people will easily point them out because of divergent views, beliefs and culture. Yes, kidnapping went from expatriates to the rich and to anybody but it was just an upgrade of armed robbery. Before, it was armed people bursting your door to ask for money but noticed that bulk of the money are kept in the bank and kidnapping was birthed. Goodluck is fighting these vices head on and I think we should offer advice to help him not changing another govt that wont still know how to quash the terrorists unless they were the ones that sponsored them in the first place to make the govt look incompetent.
Last bullet: Do you know that if GEJ opponents win, BH will stop immediately even without negotiations.

dunkem21:
I want to point out a few lies about your questions as well as cramjones.

1. BH is not ill-trained. If they were, they wont be experts in handling APC's and other machineries at their disposal.
2. BH is far above 10,000 men. How many BH men do you think have been killed by our military men, JTF and the Cameroonian army?

MeAboki:
Let them also add the following to the list:
Bishop Kukah
https://www.nairaland.com/1242228/bishop-kukah-calls-amnesty-boko

Rev Jesse Jackson

https://www.nairaland.com/1295717/jesse-jackson-backs-amnesty-boko-haram

Also the NEW York Times

Judging by the logic (of several silly posters) maybe Rev Kukah and Jesse Jackson are also members of APC and/or sponsors of Boko Haram.

Quite on the contrary, the benefit of hindsight is actually exonerating the proponents of amnesty; because as we are all witnessing now, brute force has done nothing to quell the uprising; rather Boko Haram seems to be getting stronger, conquering increasing Nigerian territories; while our soldiers are succumbing to cowardice.

Common sense would tell you that brute force had never worked against urban guerrilla tactics as being employed by Boko Haram as opposed to all out conventional war where the war front(s) are clearly defined and the enemy visible and distinguishable.
Instead, Boko Haram make lightening strikes, quickly withdraws and blends into the indigenous population; therefore making finding and fighting them very difficult for our soldiers.
The longer this war of attrition goes on the more it impacts negatively on morale, as we are witnessing now with many reports of our military turning yellow and running away - in the process abandoning precious
weaponry into enemy hands.

The best approach is to weaken the ranks of the enemy by giving those among them willing to give up their arms and struggle a way out, through the offer of amnesty.
Government can subsequently then concentrate its resources to fight the remaining die-hard ones, who by now must have been reduced in number and therefore with much better odds of defeating them.

Note: Amnesty does not equate to an automatic support for Boko Haram but it is an alternative solution to brute force - which has so far not proven effective; so please do not allow hate to cloud your reasoning - think before you type.

aguiyi:
how convenient is it for you to insult at will rather than present a counter argument, shame

all the people clamoring for the armnesty are supporters of APC, even though some were from PDP, they ran because Jonathan refused to let them have it as usual.

you see now that APC want to Islamise Nigeria because thats what boko haram also want. that's why they dared to present a Muslim Muslim ticket.

you may need to know that sharia and mosque is in the constitution but no Christianity or church. its a battle that started a very long time ago, wake up.

stop fighting a course you barely understand

you are just been used to push an idea you know little or nothing about, you really need to sleep over some coincidence if you have time

Ikengawo:
"Gists"

SE is a political party?

opiaoku:
otu nne i miscalculate

cramjones:
Some hard questions for the Jonathanians!

1. Who is to gain politically if the entire North-West is ravaged, and declared insecure for voting? Who really gains politically?

2. Why did the late Azazi claim that PDP was behind Boko Haram? And why did his Helicopter crash mysteriously?

3. Why is the President romancing Ali Madu Sherrif? Why has there been no formal investigation launched since the Australian who accused Ali Madu Sherrif of funding Boko Haram spoke out?

4. Despite the killings, bombing and kidnappings, why haven't the Federal Government done anything to Senator Ndume? Why is he still holding a position at the senate, despite the overwhelming evidence? If I may add, why is he being tried secretly?

5. Where is the John guy that DSS caught trying to blow up radio house 2 years ago. He said he worked for the DSS, why haven't we heard anythinng about him since then?

6. Why is Orisejiafor involved arms smuggling?

7. Why did the Federal Government debunk claims that girls were kidnapped?

8. Why is the United States not sharing intelligence with the Nigerian Government?

9. Why did Boko Haram try to kill General Mohammadu Buhari?

10. Why did the Federal Government lie about negotiating the release of the girls with Boko Haram, when in actual fact, only today, Shekau stated clearly that the girls were married off and no talks went on?

11. Why Borno? Could their be any links to the rich uranium deposits and oil discovered in Borno? Could it be that there are covert foreigners involved without any control of the Federal Government? Could it be that they are using the violent political rift to perpetuate their own evil?

12. Why has the Federal government failed to win the war against an ill-trained army of not more than 10,000, despite having an army, airforce and navy numbering over 100,000 with fighter jets and high grade military hardware?

13. Why are the army chiefs all fat?

14. How did Ihejirika have accounts with ten of millions of dollars? What was his salary as a chief of army staff?

15. Why is Jonathan wanting to collect a $1billion loan when our defense spending during the period Boko Haram murdered the most hit $8billion?

16. Why are APC members labelled as Boko Haram sponsors? We are the opposotion, wouldn't the government score a huge political point and turn the public and the world against us if they can provide some evidence to their claim?

17. Back to Ali Madou Sherrif, why did he move on to join the PDP? Is he trying to escape from something? Recall, we had a party meeting while he was still in our party, and Bola Tinubu told him speficially that we had all the evidence on him as one of the sponsors of Boko Haram.

18. Did $20 billion get missing? Would Sanusi Lamido Sanusi make such grave allegation against a whole president? If it did get missing? Where is money, who and who has spent it? That is a lot of money!

19. Why has president Jonathan failed to fish out those he said where Boko Haram members in his government?

20. Finally, why the president's men pressure Henry Okah to blame the very first bombing in Nigeria in 2010 on Northern elites? Why did the President refute MEND's claim of bombing, whilst pressuring Henry Okah through Oroto Douglas (presidential aide) to deny the bombing and blame it on Northerners?

-CramJOnes

tallfish145:
Pls friends help me out of this situation rocking my relationship. I have been into a relationship with this lady for over 5yrs and we are planning to cross the rubicon by march 2015. Now i am a faithful supporter and friend of Gen Buhari and his progressive party,APC,but my lady is opposing it. Recently she threatend to leave our 5yrs relationship if i dont support her party,Pdp. What should i do?

kITATITA:
I hope those who are old enough will remember that MKO Abiola was a Shariah advocate and that his Vice Presidential candidate was also Muslim. Despite that, he enjoyed overwhelming support from Nigerians across the divide. That will show you that those who want to use religion to divide are doing so to fulfil a set agenda. To me what matters most is economics and not religion; not even politics.

OlusolaWarrior:
Is it only Lagos? Look at all the APC governors in the South West. They are all Muslims. 99 percent of APC members are Muslims. There's a latent plan to Islamize the South West.

agabusta:
We have told u time and again, leave the SW out of your religious bigotry. We have long discovered that religion does not play a major role in the performance of politicians in office.

aurenflani:
And APGA is what?

Mogidi:
It doesn't matter jare, we should just remain passive while you share out appointments based on religion. 90% SW governors are Muslims.
And in Lagos State, 80 per cent of State House of Assembly members are muslim, 80 per cent of Local Government Area Chairmen are muslim, 80 per cent of National Assembly members are muslim and 80 per cent of Commissioners and key government functionaries are muslim.

Are there no Christians in APC?

masamari:
You guys have not really ready to be free from poverty. Chai! What do you used your head for? I guess you're completely confused just because of your myopic thinking. Enough of all these religion sentiments we are looking forward for a leader who's going to sanitized our society at the same time inculcating discipline in all spheres of govt parastatals. Some of you who have travelled to country like UK will agree with me that most surgeons in London NHS are foreigners. Best of the best professionals even from core Islamic countries, most of their names are Dr.Patel and Bdja. This civilized society is after rending world class services to citizens irrespective of their religion exponential gradients. That's a society! Ladies and gentlemen of what benefits have we received from all these so called pastor? Religion leaders that used our fat tithes to institute private universities where a member kids can not afford. Look all these better schools are enrolled with Alhaja and Alhaji children. Religion is an individuality society belongings you can either adhesion by birth or chosen your face off when you grew up, the only important thing is a man integrity! It is well with Nigeria.

Mekateka:
it is your party that is considering muslim/muslim ticket and I asked why must it be muslim/muslim? Why is your party not thinking of Christian/Christian ticket?

Mekateka:
thank you. But please tell your APC party to also be considering Christian-Christian candidates for presidency or are there no capable Christians in your party?

iamord:
Its annoying when you guys come up with conclusions when you are not even clear of what is going on in ghana.. And base it as the truth
The knocking off of the zeros was not the problem but corruption , gross mismanagement , budget deficit ,low eport commodity prices.. And the present govt over exptectance on the crude.. All this affected the cedi. But the cedi is not the main problem. I am tired of hearing that.. As u pity for ghana pity for nigeria to.. Both countries are in a mess

barcanista:
When I posited that the "mago mago" currency revaluation that ghana did few years ago will hunt their economy, some of them think I was hating. We are now seeing the result.
Junk Currency
Junk economy

barcanista:
siÑcere9gerian is d latest PDP neutral, joining descartes and browny.


Omenka caseless berem obiagelli pls take note

ashson:
FACTS AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES

1. Boko haram: Our name is JAMAATU AHLIS SUNNAH LID DAWATI WAL JIHAD, we are against Democracy, want to restore Shariah in Nigeria.

2. GEJ: Na lie, Boko haram are not Muslims, they are our siblings.

3. Buhari: Boko haram are deviant Islamic group fighting for selfish aim.

4. Muslim Northerners: Boko haram are CAN members that want to diminish Muslim population in the North.

5. Christian Northerners: Boko haram is a muslim agenda to wipe Christianity in the North.

6. Niger Deltans and Igbo: Boko haram is a Northern agenda to make Nigeria ungovernable for our son.

7. PDP: Boko haram are opposition members that are aggrieved because they are not in power.

8. APC: Boko haram are PDP thugs that want to destabilise opposition states.

9. Northern politicians: Boko haram are GEJ sponsored thugs to reduce the voting power of the North.

10. Nigerian shiite: Boko haram are salafists sponsored by government to truncate spread of shiism in Nigeria.

11. Others: Boko haram are armed robbers disguised in religious robes to have a hay day for their operations.

Now which theory are we adopting for negotiation with Boko haram?

datolee:
Can you show us evidence that Nigeria was invited to join as a memeber state during Buhari administration and he refused? Nigeria was invited to join OIC as a member state in December 1985 after Buhari had indicated interest, unfortunately or fortunately, he wasn't in office to conclude what he started.