I dont understand why everyone is getting upset, who taught us this Amnesty trick....POLITICIANS.
How many have been jailed for fraud, for looting for stealing..NONE. What have past governments done to cover this up and make sure that when their time comes they too will not go to jail. They gave these thieves amnesty, so now poor man wants to copy what he has been taught. Sad turn of events.

History, dare I say, has
perfected a way of repeating
itself. It’s either we don’t pay
attention to it or our memories
are pretty too brief. In 2009,
when President Umaru Musa
Yar’Adua offered amnesty to
Niger Delta militants, the
Movement for the
Emancipation of Niger Delta
(MEND) flatly rejected it. They
wrote an open letter to
Yar’Adua which partly read:
“The civilised world expected
your apology to the hundreds of
the displaced and relatives of
dead civilians caused by the
indiscriminate aerial bombing
targeted at innocent
impoverished communities
from cowardly armed forces
meant to instil fear.” A few days
later, MEND bombed Agip and
Chevron facilities to drive home
their point. Nevertheless,
Yar’Adua went with his
convictions. The rest, as they
say, is history.
Cue 2013. President Goodluck
Jonathan is exploring the
possibility of amnesty for Boko
Haram militants who have been
unleashing terror on Nigerians
in unprecedented proportions.
Although Jonathan’s amnesty
offer is not yet on the table, the
group has rejected it in
advance. Its leader, Abubakar
Shekau, said: “The Nigerian
government is talking about
granting us amnesty. What
wrong have we done? On the
contrary, it is we that should
grant you pardon.” He said it
was the government that had
been committing atrocities
against Muslims, in what clearly
stands the fact on its head. In
my records, Boko Haram has
killed uncountable number of
Muslims – in addition to their
soft target, Christians.
I remember vividly that when
Yar’Adua decided to grant
amnesty to the Niger Delta
militants, he was considered a
weak leader. The hardliners said
he was undermining our
sovereignty and humiliating the
military. They said we should
continue to bombard the Niger
Delta just to prove a point, even
if the war was going to last for
years. But Yar’Adua pursued
his agenda. Although the
Amnesty Programme has now
become something like a
bazaar, the principles of
negotiated peace in conflict
management remain valid. I
would urge Jonathan to go
ahead with amnesty if he is fully
convinced that it can be
properly and effectively
implemented to end the
insurgency.
For me, the issue now is not
whether or not to grant amnesty
and employ dialogue to put an
end to this bloodshed. It should
have become obvious to all that
the military action, which is the
preferred choice of many
commentators, is not working.
If it was working, we would not
be here discussing amnesty.
Our security agencies have
gleefully been announcing
preventing attacks, arresting or
killing hundreds of suspected
militants and uncovering bomb
factories. But the terror has
continued. The more JTF kills
them, the harder they come.
Maybe military action alone is
not enough. What now? Why
are the US and UK effectively
tackling terror back home but
failing woefully in Afghanistan
and Iraq? We need to chew on
this.
Nigerians are clearly divided
over the amnesty issue for
various reasons. Some are of the
opinion that it may encourage
MASSOB and OPC to step up
their campaigns too in the hope
of securing amnesty and multi-
billion naira contracts. Good
point, no questions about it.
That is why I suggest that
military action should not stop
until Boko Haram militants
embrace amnesty and, by
extension, dialogue. People need
to know that actions have
consequences. The state should
never abandon its key
responsibility of protecting lives
and property. I don’t think any
reasonable community would
like to play host to the JTF. It’s
not usually a pleasant
experience. I certainly don’t
want JTF in my village!
The most disturbing opposition
to amnesty is coming from the
Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN). The spokesman of CAN
in the 19 Northern states and
the Federal Capital Territory,
Sunday Oibe, said on Friday
that “no right-thinking
Christian” would support
amnesty to “murderers who
have shown no remorse for the
thousands of innocent people
they have killed”. No “righting-
thinking” Christian will support
amnesty? What’s Christianity
turning into? I embraced the
Christian faith nearly 20 years
ago mainly because of the
message of forgiveness. I was
told that God, because of the
death of Jesus Christ on the
cross, was ready to grant
amnesty to all sinners. I fancied
Christianity because of the
message of God’s love to all –
His readiness to give you a
second chance “no matter your
past”.
While dying on the cross, Jesus
famously prayed for the
murderers thus: “Father, forgive
them for they know not what
they are doing!” The young
disciple Stephen, while being
stoned to death, repeated those
words. Jesus granted amnesty
to a murder accomplice like
Saul who went on to write most
of the books in the New
Testament. But for the message
of forgiveness, Christianity will
be just a religion. Forgiveness
to murderers, adulterers,
fornicators, liars and hypocrites
– that’s too attractive a message
to ignore! Forgiving those who
hurt you is a fundamental
Christian teaching. Yet, CAN is
telling us that no “right-
thinking Christian” would
support it. That sounds too
much like the Boko Haram
message of “no mercy, no
forgiveness”.
I conclude. The debate we
should be having, in my
opinion, is the nature and form
of the amnesty. It cannot be like
what we have in the Niger Delta
where militants simply turned
in their arms in exchange for
rehabilitation and contracts.
Boko Haram is more
complicated. This is a group
challenging the legitimacy of the
state. They are not asking that
roads be tarred or jobs be
provided. They are anti-
establishment. These guys
nearly killed Muslims leaders
such as the Shehu of Borno and
Emir of Kano. They killed a
respected cleric inside his
mosque in Kano. They have
promised to kill former Borno
State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff
whenever they get him.
The Boko Haram militants say
they want to Islamise Nigeria.
We are dealing with extremists
who are thoroughly schooled in
religious hate. It is not as simple
as telling them to hand in their
guns – these guys make bombs!
Therefore, any amnesty
programme that will lead to
dialogue and rehabilitation
must be carefully thought out. It
should not be about distributing
contracts and creating new
billionaires. Clearly, the
amnesty option is very
complicated and will take a long
process, unlike the Niger Delta
case. But my advice to President
Jonathan is that he should go
with his convictions. It’s a very
rough road ahead.
And Four Other Things...
GOTCHA, THATCHER!
Margaret Thatcher, the former
British prime minister better
known as the Iron Lady, passed
away last week. She was never a
popular figure with the British
working class because of the
privatisation programme which
she executed coldheartedly.
They celebrated her death in the
most distasteful manner. No
matter what, she was an
achiever in a world dominated
by men. Leadership requires
standing by your convictions.
And she took those decisions in
the national interest, not for
personal gain. Nevertheless, I
never liked Thatcher because of
the way she, and US President
Ronald Reagan, treated the
apartheid regime in South
Africa with kid gloves.
LEADERSHIP QUESTION
Do we ever learn from history?
We don’t, obviously. The
decision by the police
authorities to arrest and detain
four journalists working with
Leadership newspaper is a
further confirmation of that. I
am not saying journalists are
above the law. In fact, I worry a
lot about media misdeeds. But
there are better ways of dealing
with these issues than arresting
journalists. If you have any case
against them, even if it is
criminal, go and meet them in
court. Arrest and detention
would only invoke unnecessary
passion and bring back
memories of the traumatic
military days.
MORE ACCIDENTS
Last week, I wrote about
unending accidents on our
roads – trailers, tankers and
buses. At Ugbogui along Benin-
Ore Expressway, 36 persons
were burnt to death. Another
20 passengers died at Okija,
Anambra State. I ended it with
these words: “The saddest part
is that this is definitely not the
last one.” Well, the following
day, 20 passengers died when a
bus rammed into a truck, seven
kilometres from Potiskum, Yobe
State, on the Kano-Maiduguri
highway. Trailers, tankers,
buses and gruesome deaths on
our roads! And you know the
saddest part? We don’t have any
answers.
OKPALA OUT?
The sack of Super Eagles’
assistant coach, Sylvanus
Okpala, came as a rude shock to
me. I am not an insider in the
national team, but all I have
ever heard about Okpala is that
he is a very good coach whom
Stephen Keshi is very
comfortable with. Okpala, a
member of the all-conquering
team of 1980, is said to have
fallen out with the NFF
authorities last year for
criticising them over poor
logistics for an away match.
They have waited patiently to
get rid of him through
“reorganisation”. Lord have
mercy…

Nigeria is a big joke..

abeg make all members of nairaland demand amnesy,afterall na dem yab dis go'ment pass.so amnesy for nairananders,we plopos 100k as monthry salaly for all lepentant naralanders.
Na thunder go faya all dis our politicians I swear,see stealing in broad day light

Am beginning to buy into the general opinion that my country is blessed eh. See robbers and co accepting amnesty at last. WTF make devil bless them there.

THIS IS PURE OJORO. THEY WANT TO ENTER THRU THE BACKYARD BY GIVING UNREPENTANT WICKED BOMB THROWING BOKO HARAM AMNESTY WHILE THEY NEGLECT REPENTANT ABIA YOUTHS. IS IT because THE YOUTHS HAVE NOT ACHIEVED THEIR KILLING TARGETS OR because THAT THEY HAVE NOT STARTED THROWING BOMBS TO STARTLE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

I wonder where this country will end up.
No sense of direction at all.

Sickening indictment of the state of societal deterioration.

Only country in the world where criminals are now brazen enough to demand retirement packages.

I wonder y all these lamentations, ar u not d same people dat were supporting amnesty 4 BH. Many nigerians ar not straight forward

SPEED5: I wonder y all these lamentations, ar u not d same people dat were supporting amnesty 4 BH. Many nigerians ar not straight forward

God bless you my brother. Bunch of hypocrites. Well, what is good for Musa is good for Okeke, so i suggest they grant these young men amnesty too.

gboss4sure: Is A LIE oooooooooooooooooooooo. T.A Orji and Co is looking for more money to thief. There is nothing like 5,000 Repentant Criminals.

God bless u,that's his plan. failed governor

Y ar many of u double minded. Few days days ago, for tribal political sentiments u supported some certain selfish politicians in d call 4 amnesty 4 BH. Now u ar blaming Gej for d backlash. Hypocrites

harmless011: Is this a joke or what

It is the attendant effect of the proposed amnesty to BH. Some of us have been shouting ourselves hoarse that amnesty should not be given to BH cos it will breed more crisis/illegalities.

This is just the beginning cos more will follow and nigerians should note that this country is fast becoming a huge joke under Gejs watch.

Meanwhile, Nigerian politicians are finalizing plans for their own amnesty here:
https://www.nairaland.com/1259283/politicians-demand-amnesty
We are in for a real shocker from the current generation of Politicians, I tell ya.

daik: 5,000 Repentant Abia Criminals Seek Amnesty

He said, “If they are not listened to, it has the capacity to engulf the nation into crisis.
LOL LOL LOL

He also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME, which culminated in the amnesty programme of the repentant militants.

http://www.punchng.com/news/abia-youths-seek-amnesty-block-streets/

So Amnesty don turn to youth eempowerment programme?

Baba J, I tuale for your government

firetrap:

I'm currently in umuahia right now and can tell u for a fact that the article is a big lie. like u said them dey find money wey them go thief. and even if truly they were once criminals, they have already been granted amnesty. the fact that they are not in jail or better still dead is amnesty enough for them. bastards.

You claim to be in Umuahia, where you at the Public hearing yesterday? I know you don't even know that House of rep committee on Amnesty held one. Pls get well informed before commenting here, get your facts right. Fool!

BREAKING NEWS: FG to grant all yahoo boys amnesty.
Note:To participate carry your laptop and your account details to the nearest police station for registration. Terms & condition may apply.[b][/b]

[size=18pt]FUNNY PEOPLE, FUNNY COUNTRY.

List of Amnesty petitioners in Nigeria.

1. Niger Delta militants home and away.
2. Boko Haram, PDP Branch.
3. Armed robbers.
4. Kidnappers.
5. 419 Scam artists.
6. Smugglers of contraband.
7. 190 and other UACs(Unidentified Alien Creatures) on Nairaland with multiple handles.[/size]

Who is leading these people astray? Shouldn't it be obvious to their representatives that the request is dead on arrival? Few days ago, a bunch of them almost got killed because they followed Abati's money to Abuja, now this. This is becoming embarrassing.

daik: Funny country,....... Criminals are seeking amnesty and good citizens arrested for unknown crimes.

r u a lebanese

AMNESTY FOR ONE, AMNESTY FOR ALL.. WAT IS SAUCE FOR THE GANDER, IS SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE. 2013,'OUR YEAR OF AMNESTY'

I will also ask for amnesty,i have killed chickens,goats and cows before to say the least i have dated under 18 before.So i deserve amnesty too.Funny country everybody wants to take part in national moinmoin.What a tragicomedy?.

gboss4sure: Is A LIE oooooooooooooooooooooo. T.A Orji and Co is looking for more money to thief. There is nothing like 5,000 Repentant Criminals.

Are u saying there is no Powerful gang of kidnappers in Abia state before?

hehehe! igbos don copy copy the hausas, i am a happy man!

This is what happens when so imbecilic dolts will - instead of voting for credible and sane leaders - come on Nairaland and start arguing about how their tribe is the best in Nigeria.

The people of Imo risked life and limb to vote out Ohakim even in the face of thuggery and intimidation
People of Oyo state voted out Alao Akala despite the use of NURTW thugs
People of Edo state banded together and got rid of PDP and their crooked ways.


What the frag are the people of Abia State doing?

There you go again. This is becoming funny day by day.. One injustice condoned somewhere is injustice condoned everywhere.

hmmm. Nigeria, state govt granted amnesty now they are asking federal govt to pay, how come they are upto 5000 in abia state only, besides amnesty was granted to militants not kidnappers. or are they even aware Nigeria has budget
but this country, now there is budget for criminals its even higher than some important sectors in the nation