[size=14pt]Nigeria: Islamic sect issues demand for amnesty[/size]
By NJADVARA MUSA (AP) – 6 hours ago

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — A feared Islamic sect responsible for a recent federal prison break and targeted killings in northern Nigeria has demanded an amnesty offer from the government to stop the violence.

The communication from the Boko Haram sect said the group wanted a deal similar to one made to militants in Nigeria's restive and oil-rich southern delta last year that slowed attacks there. However, such a demand could exploit regional and religious tensions that run through Africa's most populous nation and put new pressures on its Christian president.

Boko Haram made its demands via interviews with an anonymous spokesman to the Hausa language radio services of the BBC and the Voice of America late Wednesday night. The group said it wanted the government to release 195 detained sect members and for officials to allow members in hiding to re-emerge.

The group also asked for freedom to practice its form of Islam, the unconditional release of its seized mosques by government forces and "justice and equity" in local government affairs.

"We are law-abiding citizens, even though we do not subscribe with the unjust government of the western orientation that is being used to govern us here in Nigeria," the spokesman said in Hausa, the local language.

Despite that pledge, the spokesman went on to take responsibility for a recent bomb attack on a police station, as well as the targeted killings of local officials by motorcycle taxi-riding assassins. The spokesman said the government brought the attacks on themselves after the death of Boko Haram leader Mohammed Yusuf in July 2009 after the group rioted, leading to a security crackdown that left 700 dead in total.

Human rights groups say Yusuf was executed by police while in their custody, but officials claimed he attempted to escape custody, though his hands were tied behind his back.

"Unless government ensures justice and equity and allow us to practice our religion ,  we will continue with these (killings) and we have our targets," the spokesman said.

Followers of Boko Haram, which means "Western education is sacrilege" in the local Hausa language, went into hiding after the July 2009 riots. Recently, the group engineered a massive prison break in nearby Bauchi state, freeing 750 inmates — among whom were sect members.

In asking for an amnesty deal, Boko Haram has brought into play the regional politics that form Nigeria, a country of 150 million that basically divides into a Christian south and Muslim north. The spokesman said that Boko Haram deserved "similar treatments accorded to the Niger Delta militants by the late president, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, rather than being treated like second class citizens of Nigeria."

Before his death, Yar'Adua persuaded many militants in the creeks of the delta to sign onto a government-sponsored amnesty plan, which promised cash payouts and future job training. The relative peace that followed allowed oil production to boost in the OPEC nation, nearing highs not seen since the insurgency there began in 2006.

However, the delta sits firmly in the Christian south and in a region vital to the country's economy. North Nigeria, on the vestiges of the Sahara Desert, remains a rural area that depends primarily on agriculture. It also relies on President Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the delta, to shepherd through what could be a complex and costly deal in the midst of a coming presidential election.

A presidential spokesman did not immediately respond for a request for comment Thursday on Boko Haram's demands.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iNCU46VYMVf0VzhqkKJUus45PrDAD9IRFN0G1?docId=D9IRFN0G1

I find the request from Boko Haram riddled with cynism.

What is good for the goose is good for the gander

Bro Joe must grant them amnesty fast and invite the to Aso Rock for tea party

Is that not his security policy ?

krendo:

What is good for the goose is good for the gander

Bro Joe must grant them amnesty fast and invite the to Aso Rock for tea party

Is that not his security policy ?

This is the unfortunate comedy I am talking about.

krendo:

What is good for the goose is good for the gander

Bro Joe must grant them amnesty fast and invite the to Aso Rock for tea party

Is that not his security policy ?

Even oyibo people can see the comedy in the position of those claiming to be Boko Haram;

However, the delta sits firmly in the Christian south and in a region vital to the country's economy. North Nigeria, on the vestiges of the Sahara Desert, remains a rural area that depends primarily on agriculture.

Damn!
What a funny way of looking at it.

The main thing that pack of woebegone clowns needs is a forceful education; at gunpoint if necessary.

Nobody is too old to learn; a for apple, b for ball, c for cat. . . Indeed, it is such a profoundly fundamental building block, that once in place, those goons will forever forget their macabre deisre to kill for the the "freedom" to remain illiterate and backward.

Beaf:

The main thing that pack of woebegone clowns needs is a forceful education; at gunpoint if necessary.

Nobody is too old to learn; a for apple, b for ball, c for cat. . . Indeed, it is such a profoundly fundamental building block, that once in place, those goons will forever forget their macabre deisre to kill for the the "freedom" to remain illiterate and backward.

Forceful education of an adult is a crime under section 38 of the constitution of Nigeria. This Beaf you are a despot in the making

38. (1) Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

(2) No person attending any place of education shall be required to receive religious instruction or to take part in or attend any religious ceremony or observance if such instruction ceremony or observance relates to a religion other than his own, or religion not approved by his parent or guardian.

(3) No religious community or denomination shall be prevented from providing religious instruction for pupils of that community or denomination in any place of education maintained wholly by that community or denomination.

Are we not in the season of ''go and sin no more'' ? Abeg,if NIGER DELTA militants could be granted amnesty,then the ones too should be granted also.It has nothing to do with forced education afterall all the ND militants too are illiterates

~Bluetooth:

Are we not in the season of ''go and sin no more'' ? Abeg,if NIGER DELTA militants could be granted amnesty,then the ones too should be granted also.It has nothing to do with forced education afterall all the ND militants too are illiterates

That is a massive lie.
There is no young person in the Niger Delta that cannot read and write, except they have a mental problem.

krendo:

Forceful education of an adult is a crime under section 38 of the constitution of Nigeria. This Beaf you are a despot in the making

There is no place in the words below that says people cannot be forcibly educated. It only says religion must not be forced on people, look at it again;

38. (1) Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

(2) No person attending any place of education shall be required to receive religious instruction or to take part in or attend any religious ceremony or observance if such instruction ceremony or observance relates to a religion other than his own, or religion not approved by his parent or guardian.

(3) No religious community or denomination shall be prevented from providing religious instruction for pupils of that community or denomination in any place of education maintained wholly by that community or denomination.

. . .So, I repeat; set up a camp were all Boko Harams will be rounded up into and enforce, "a for apple, b for ball, c for cat. . ." if possible, with a judicious knock or two.
Once the fckers learn to read and can see where the problems lie, they will see the beauty of love, se'x and enlightenment and wonder how any body could be !diotic enough to kill for the "freedom" to remain illiterate and stup!d.

Freedom of thought

These guys believe that Western Education is a hinderance to their religion. While the State has a duty to prevent them from being violent and killing others. The State can not forcibly re-educate them and try to change this thought.

ND Militants are also illeterates, why are we not forcibly educating them?


but on a lighter note, Bro Joe should extend his security policy to Boko Haram. He must invite them to Aso Rock for a tea party.

So out of the over 20 000 militants and almost 60 generals among them,tell me how many graduates are among them cuz I know Ateke tom may not have even attended a primary school.

What exactly are the boko haram fighting for? What are their demands? Can someone educate me.

~Bluetooth:

So out of the over 20 000 militants and almost 60 generals among them,tell me how many graduates are among them cuz I know Ateke tom may not have even attended a primary school.

An illiterate is not a non-graduate, but a person who can neither read nor write. I am quite sure Ateke Tom can read and write.

peacesak:

What exactly are the boko haram fighting for? What are their demands? Can someone educate me.

The fckers are fighting for illiteracy and the right to remain illiterate, because they think that their brand of Islam forbids reading and writing Western texts.

peacesak:

What exactly are the boko haram fighting for? What are their demands? Can someone educate me.

I simply do not think what they are fighting for matters. What matters is they are using violence to achieve certain political or social aims and thus are terrorist.

Since this administration's anti-terror policies is to invite them for tea party, the same should be kindly extended to Boko Harram.

Beaf:

An illiterate is not a non-graduate, but a person who can neither read nor write. I am quite sure Ateke Tom can read and write.

Big lie ! Are you talking about Ateke that couldn't address Yardua in plain English but had to be allowed to speak pidgin ? Abegi,those guys are not in any way different from Boko harams infact they are worse off cuz they are hardcore criminals

~Bluetooth:

Big lie ! Are you talking about Ateke that couldn't address Yardua in plain English but had to be allowed to speak pidgin ? Abegi,those guys are not in any way different from Boko harams infact they are worse off cuz they are hardcore criminals

He learnt to read and write in Garri Market PH, while snatching women's bags at night in the 1980s.

~Bluetooth:

Big lie ! Are you talking about Ateke that couldn't address Yardua in plain English but had to be allowed to speak pidgin ? Abegi,those guys are not in any way different from Boko harams infact they are worse off cuz they are hardcore criminals

Since when did speaking pidgin English mean that the speaker can neither read nor write?

Beaf:

Since when did speaking pidgin English mean that the speaker can neither read nor write?

Did you see what i wrote before jumping into conclusion ?

~Bluetooth:

Big lie ! Are you talking about[b] Ateke that couldn't address Yardua in plain English but had to be allowed to speak pidgin[/b] ? Abegi,those guys are not in any way different from Boko harams infact they are worse off cuz they are hardcore criminals

Nonsense request

~Bluetooth:

Did you see what i wrote before jumping into conclusion ?

Your argument is that all ND militants are illiterates like Boko Haram folk and my position is that your assertion is massively false. What has changed?
Your argument has failed, thats all.

And i still ask you to tell me how many of them are literates in any formal education ? Cuz even the boko harams are knowledgeable in islamic/Arabic knowledge.

~Bluetooth:

And i still ask you to tell me how many of them are literates in any formal education ? Cuz even the boko harams are knowledgeable in islamic/Arabic knowledge.

Dude, an illiterate is someone who can neither read nor write. As far as Nigeria is concerned, Arabic is not and never will be an official language.
There are many old Ifa priests who cannot read or write in Western alphabet. Do you recognize them as literate, because they can write in their Ifa script?

The chicken is now coming home to roost

sometimes on these issues you want to hope that for the sake of country these guys are right and you are wrong. But that is clearly not the case.

Beaf:

Dude, an illiterate is someone who can neither read nor write. As far as Nigeria is concerned, Arabic is not and never will be an official language.
There are many old Ifa priests who cannot read or write in Western alphabet. Do you recognize them as literate, because they can write in their Ifa script?

It's not about making it any official language,the fact is that Arabic education is acquired form of knowledge.You better wake up,some schools are now offering it as either degree or education course and you are here lamenting.

~Bluetooth:

It's not about making it any official language,the fact is that Arabic education is acquired form of knowledge.You better wake up,some schools are now offering it as either degree or education course and you are here lamenting.

Knowledge is different from literacy, even hunter gatherers had to have some form of knowledge to be successful.
Any schools offering Arabic, do it as an addition to knowledge; not as a basis for literacy. In Nigeria, if a person cannot read, write or spell in English, they are illiterate (like Boko Haram).

Na wa lol

Abeg o. Make una give them [b]RAM[/b]nesty.

Beaf:

Knowledge is different from literacy, even hunter gatherers had to have some form of knowledge to be successful.
Any schools offering Arabic, do it as an addition to knowledge; not as a basis for literacy. In Nigeria, if a person cannot read, write or spell in English, they are illiterate (like Boko Haram).

So will still have this notion if Arabic is substituted for French ?

If i was GEJ i would bring these bazterds down

You guys just speakin english.these people need to be taught a lesson

babaearly:

If i was GEJ i would bring these bazterds down

What you forgot is that 'All wars end in compromise among the warring factions''.the US have been waging war against the Talibans in Afghanistan for 9 years without any success but now the Afghan government is thinking of granting them amnesty.We are not talking about people fighting for monetary gain,we are talking about people ready to die for an ideology.

~Bluetooth:

So will still have this notion if Arabic is substituted for French ?

A person that can read French, can surely read English too. No?

babaearly:

If i was GEJ i would bring these bazterds down

Exactly. The pathetic clowns don't even have a pretence to a political ideology it is all anti-Western, religious extremist crap. A special prison needs to be built for them, like Guantanamo Bay, but within the law.