Newly sworn-in Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, on Friday said his new administration would, among other policies, pursue amnesty for members of Boko Haram who are ready to de-radicalise.

Mr. Shettima, who took an oath of office to serve for yet another four years alongside his deputy, Zannah Mustapha, said he would lobby the new federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari to consider granting amnesty to the militants.

Messrs Shettima and Mustapha were sworn in by the state’s chief judge, Kashim Zannah, at the Ramat Square, amidst tight security mounted by soldiers and police officers.

Mr. Shettima’s second inauguration, although low-key, was attended by guests from within and outside Nigeria.

The governor lamented the plight of the millions of Borno residents squatting at various camps of Internally Displaced Persons at the time he was being sworn-in.

Mr. Shettima said his next four years would be dedicated to rebuilding destroyed and lost communities and also pursuing policies that would create jobs and empower the youths.

“I do not intend to spoil the celebration mood today but I simply cannot ignore the fact that as we are gathered here, looking good and so full of excitement, thousands of our fellow sons and daughters of Borno, old and young, including babies that are few days old, are displaced in their own land and country,” he said.

He added that the sad tales of destructions and the faces of “our displaced sons, daughters, brothers and sisters,” told the true story of Borno today.

The governor, who described his swearing in as “a very special day in the long history of Borno”, said his second mandate was in recognition of the effort his administration made in the past four years, “to touch your lives in several areas of human endeavour”.

He acknowledged, however, that the last four years were certainly some of the most tragic and challenging in the thousand-year history of Borno.

“We have gone through the most savage insurgency of the Boko Haram sect, which massacred thousands of our people; especially destroying the cream of Borno youth and ensuring that into the next generation, we will be faced with a demographic crisis that will challenge our creative ingenuity, to overcome,” he said.

The governor said, in spite of all these, his government still managed to remain focused to build the “basic blocks of development, in agriculture, education and empowerment.”

“And we never for a moment abandoned our people,” Mr. Shettima said. “The people appreciated how we worked with sincerity, with commitment and always defending their best interests.”

Mr. Shettima lambasted the government of Goodluck Jonathan, referring to it as “a hostile Federal Government, which lived in denial about the savagery of Boko Haram and which also saw the insurgency from the most perverted, narrow and irresponsible prism, that somehow, the insurgency had been fuelled against it, by the political and other elites of this part of Nigeria.”

“They therefore did only the barest and most perfunctory, to stem the problem. Meanwhile, our people suffered and our communities were systematically laid to waste,” he said. “Democracy became the saving grace for the people.

“With our votes, we threw out a government at the centre, which did not work in the national interest and have now voted into power, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also being inaugurated into power today in Abuja.”

Mr. Shettima said the people of Borno now have the opportunity to put their problems before a “listening president, who would be willing to assist us with utmost dispatch, to accelerate our development.”

He said in the next four years, he would need the support of all citizens in the quest to rebuild the devastated communities of Borno state.

He promised an all-inclusive “growth that would focus on reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction – the three Rs.

He also reiterated his readiness to give members of Boko Haram a chance for amnesty.

“Unless we want to engage in an endless war of attrition that will be hallmarked by the continuing destruction of lives and property, it becomes imperative that willing members of the Boko Haram sect that want to come out of the bush must be given the opportunity to be de-radicalized and then rehabilitated to become useful citizens of society,” he said.

“It is never easy to accept back into the community, those who have taken up arms, killed, pillaged, raped and destroyed. But in the long run, society must make very expensive choices for peace, reconciliation and development. We are therefore appealing to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the International Community to assist our endeavour in that regard.”
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/184005-borno-governor-attacks-jonathan-seeks-amnesty-for-boko-haram.html

unbelievable

It has begun

.

Lol.... Boko Haram now regarded as militants....... Amnesty things await them I guess.

Just few hrs dem swear this guys in, their madness don start already.

gboss4sure:
Just few hrs dem swear this guys in, their madness don start already.

Dnt mind dem .



It's called I G


meaning Initial Gra gra

I think very soon, if things continue like this unemployed graduates will just form a union, blow up a few strategic locations and demand amnesty.
What sort of country do we live in that every one who performs an act of treason is granted amnesty.
It shows military weakness.
It shows criminality encouragement.
It shows leadership frailties.
It doesn't work eventually except you want to keep it running forever.

"First take out the bit of wood from your eye, then will you see clearly to take out the grain of dust from your brother's eye"

D "I s l a m I z a t I o n" has just begun


Give amnesty to chadians cum nigers wif oil money, Never!
Dey shld go and use groundnut cum suya money to give dem amnesty
Buhari tries shitz, and see nigeria crumble
Not a threat, it will happen

We affirm again and again BH is north brain child.

u see dem?? Na dem b dis o! Boko haram in the flesh!! Bags of monkey sh*t

We warned Nigerians.

The "infidels" has gone, a true son of Usman Dan Fodio has taken back what belongs to them.
Boko Haram can now, accept amnesty.

Must we continue to answer one country with this people?
Biafrans, it is time.

Oh good Lord!
The first paragraph was what I read and I just had to scream "Oh sweet Lord" may this not be true

I would say the governor is a BS
But then i must respect the office of the governor

Even Buhari knows his limit.


BabaOneChance try it and see Nigeria end.

onyi4edu:
Oh good Lord!
The first paragraph was what I read and I just had to scream "Oh sweet Lord" may this not be true

What are you surprised for?
Even Buhari called for the same thing.

Foolish man

noblezone:


What are you surprised for?
Even Buhari called for the same thing.

Not surprised just wasn't expecting it this soon honestly

onyi4edu:


Not surprised just wasn't expecting it this soon honestly

Buhari must have tried so much to hold himself.
Else, he would have love to announce the amnesty for Boko Haram and the termination of that of the ND agitators even today.
The coming days are pregnant.

Give them medals with the amnesty please because they deserve it with the Chibok girls still missing

this man is just UNBELIEVABLE. After all the lives lost, all the hardships, rapes, bombings and the gallant lives of our soldiers lost and he dares open his mouth to talk of amnesty. even the devil himself will weep if this happens and may the souls of the innocent that died for no just cause not forgive this man for even suggesting this.

calebo101:
Well it's alright to grant then amnesty and use proceeds from groundnut oil sales to fund it. That's perfectly fine.

If they have their eyes on niger delta oil then we may have to remind them one or two things.

Amnesty doesn't have to extend to monthly stipend duhhhhhhh
Though the idea is morally wrong but nothing should be dismissed when finding a lasting solution to the menace

jaybee3:

Amnesty doesn't have to extend to monthly stipend duhhhhhhh
Though the idea is morally wrong but nothing should be dismissed when finding a lasting solution to the menace

Bros, it is a waste of time to negotiate with Islam.
Islam does not negotiate.

Not surprised.

Next will be 5k - 7.5k monthly for the Almajiris while southern kids may be asked to do with free schools meals only.

I hope Gmb meant it when he said he's for everybody lest there'll be another round of crisis looming.

noblezone:


Bros, it is a waste of time to negotiate with Islam.
Islam does not negotiate.

Don't you think there might be a slight advantage in having someone they can relate to negotiate with them if Sharia is the single most important thing to them?

We just have to be open minded

Where are those morons who said GEJ was behind book haram?

The North were behind it and have bamboozled the masses. Now they will ask for amnesty for the rapist and terrorist. SMH

jaybee3:


Don't you think there might be a slight advantage in having someone they can relate to negotiate with them if Sharia is the single most important thing to them?

We just have to be open minded

In that case, we have accepted their intimidation.
And what happens when another "infidel" takes over government tomorrow?

Islam is peace, but only when must have submitted, willingly or unwillingly.

You guys dont know what you are playing with it

Haba give Them amnesty please they deserve it ...



or do you like the killing

Buhari is clueless imagine taken Nigeria military to madugri. ..






just give them amnesty because we have seen your clueless

Less i forget today is BIAFRAN day. ........