As the declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan foreclosing amnesty for Boko Haram sect members over their failure to embrace dialogue continues to generate mixed reactions in the North, some leaders of the region have agreed with the position of President Goodluck Jonathan that it would be difficult to grant state pardon to a faceless group.

The leaders, who spoke in an interview with our correspondent in reaction to the President’s declaration in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, include ex-President Shehu Shagari’s Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, and onetime governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawal Kaita.

They all agreed that amnesty to the sect was inevitable if the raging gun conflict fostered by them would come to an end, but insisted that there must be physical contact between the government and the sect leadership that would pave the way for dialogue, leading to possible amnesty.

Alhaji Yakasai said in as much as he believed in dilalogue as the only way out of this problem, Boko Haram sect should show willingness to embrace dialogue while the government should also grab such opportunity for the stability of the country.

His words: “Government cannot grant amnesty to a faceless group because for dialogue to take place, there must be contact between the two, as was the case in Niger Delta during the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s tenure.

“The Niger Delta militants showed up and demonstrated readiness to dialogue with the government and this action paved way for the amnesty granted them.

I expect the Boko Haram group to embrace dialogue if the government shows willingness in that direction.” On the request that the President should order the withdrawal of the military from the streets of Maiduguri, Yakasai insisted that it was only the governor of the state who can make such request in writing since he demanded the deployment of troops in his state when the police were overwhelmed by the militants.

“Since the governor of that state requested the Federal Government’s intervention with troop deployment, he should be the one to reverse the situation and also be ready to solely and wholly bear the consequences of his action,” Yakasai stated. He added that it was obvious that all over the world the police are not trained to combat terrorism.

“It is the job of the military; therefore, if he wants the soldiers out of the street, the governor should make a formal request.” In the view of Lili Gabari, Kano City Counselor in 1953, “We believe that dialogue is the only way out and we pray fervently that sooner or later, we would be vindicated but to grant amnesty to a faceless group is not foreseeable.

There must be a round table discussion that will open up opportunities for both parties to weigh certain options arising from such dialogue but I believe we need dialogue to end this madness tearing the region apart,” he explained.

Former Kaduna Governor, Kaita, in his brief telephone chat said northern leaders would continue to pray for God’s intervention in this matter so that the pride of the region would be restored and amnesty granted the sect with positive dialogue.

However, Chairman of the 2011 post-violence election, Sheik Ahmed Lemu, said he had never been in support of dialoguing with criminals, especially when they are not doing the right thing.

He urged President Jonathan to be consistent and do to the members of the Boko Haram what the late President Umaru Yar’Adua did to the Niger Delta youths by granting them amnesty that turned out positively at the end during his tenure.

According to him, “I was never comfortable with dialoguing with criminals when the Federal Government decided to dialogue with the Niger Delta militants, but government took the risk and did so. It arranged for their economic empowerment and it turned out positively.

“Therefore, what happened with the Niger Delta militants should be repeated. It will be better for government to also give amnesty to this people, since they are ready for amnesty, whether faceless or not to defuse the present danger we find ourselves in view of what happened in the Niger Delta.”

Lemu cited the United States of America and the battle with the Al Quaeda group that it has not been able to defeat, adding that from what is happening, the Boko Haram sect is everywhere, especially with the support they get from even politicians in the country.

The Islamic scholar added: “Initially, the Federal Government agreed to dialogue with this people, and now that they are asking for amnesty, it should be given to them. Remember the US, and the Al Quaeda.

US has not been able to defeat them till today because of the connection they have, so also Boko Haram is everywhere, plus the support they get from politicians.”

Also, Alhaji Jibrin Bala Jos, a former political Adviser to Niger State governor, during the Second Republic, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said, “If government can give amnesty to militants in Rivers State then I don’t see why they cannot give to the Boko Haram sect. I don’t think it is the right thing to do, it is a miscalculation.”

According to him, the Federal Government did not need to identify the Boko Haram members in order to grant them pardon, as long as there are people and elders in the state that know, insisting that now was the right time to consider reconciliation for peace to reign.

“Another reason the Federal Government should consider to put to an end the challenges caused by their activities, he noted, was that the amount of funds spent on security was telling on the nations’ economy, adding that rather than treating the effect of Boko Haram, we should consider treating the cause by digging deep down.”

However, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa, a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, sees the refusal of President Jonathan differently.

He said, “To be honest, I reason with Mr. President. The Niger Delta militants identified themselves before they were granted amnesty.”

He queried, “How can you give amnesty to somebody you don’t know? Let’s tell ourselves the truth. We want to know what their mission is so that we can discuss and leave in peace. I queue behind Jonathan that they are ghosts, and their sponsors.”

Vatsa stressed that as the situation stands now, even the soldiers fighting them are fighting enemies they don’t know, arguing that, “we are eating and sleeping with our enemies”

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/how-boko-haram-can-get-amnesty-yakassai-kaita-others/

desperate PDP BH

Also, Alhaji Jibrin Bala Jos, a former political Adviser to Niger State governor, during the Second Republic, and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said, “If government can give amnesty to militants in Rivers State then I don’t see why they cannot give to the Boko Haram sect. I don’t think it is the right thing to do, it is a miscalculation.”

According to him, the Federal Government did not need to identify the Boko Haram members in order to grant them pardon, as long as there are people and elders in the state that know, insisting that now was the right time to consider reconciliation for peace to reign.

“Another reason the Federal Government should consider to put to an end the challenges caused by their activities, he noted, was that the amount of funds spent on security was telling on the nations’ economy, adding that rather than treating the effect of Boko Haram, we should consider treating the cause by digging deep down.”