THE Presidency has said that granting amnesty to Boko Haram insurgents would make them drop their arms, embrace peace, stop bloodshed and save resources for the country.

The Presidency also explained that President Muhammadu Buhari has remained silent over his second term ambition because his focus was to deliver good governance to the country.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said in an interview in Abuja that President Buhari’s achievements would give him victory in 2019, if he decides to contest.

He also told some retired army generals that had ruled the country in the past, who had advised him to drop second term ambition, to summon the courage and contest against the president, stressing that President Buhari will defeat all of them. On the assertion that President Buhari was shielding killer herdsmen from prosecution and even begging them to accept amnesty, Shehu argued that if the terrorists should embrace amnesty, it would stop the killings in the polity.

However, some notable Nigerians, including Second Republic lawmaker, Junaid Mohammed; Senator Femi Okorounmu, NBA Vice President, Monday Ubani; Niger Delta activist, Ann Kio-Briggs, and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, disagreed with government, saying Boko Haram insurgents have not demonstrated remorse to warrant amnesty.

But Garba Shehu said: “Well, I hope you also realise that the social media has brought a lot of good things to the world and it has also brought a lot of problems not only in Nigeria but everywhere in the world. “Nations of the world are talking about regulations and control, this is happening in Germany in the UK, even the US, you see that a lot of these technology companies are being fined for infringements that they cause.

“The thing is that there is a tendency to see things from a negative point of view when your point of view is shaped and coloured by the social media. “It’s always been heard that the default position of social media itself is to be negative, so people have turned out to ignore grand reality and project images that are very negative. “Otherwise I wonder, this is an administration that has done extremely well and to a President who has sworn to an oath to defend the constitution and protect every life and property, it is very unfair and uncharitable to say that he will shield anybody.

“In any case, the President controls only one layer of authority, what are the governors doing? Is the social media also saying that the governors are protecting the herdsmen from the law? Are they saying the local governments are also protecting them? “You see, it has to take everyone at various levels of authority to shield somebody from the law in those circumstances, and the President himself, his passion is for the country, this is a President whose passion is not even for the office, even when everyone is asking him to go for a second term, he is keeping quiet because his focus remains the nation and the problem of the country. “Whoever is peddling these rumours that Boko Haram is being granted amnesty and so on, I would ask them who doesn’t want to make peace with the enemy? In any case, as it is proverbially said, all wars end up in the boardroom.

“You can defeat people technically in the field but at the end, you must come to the conference room to resolve all issues. So, if Boko Baram would lay down their arms and stop fighting and stop preaching that negative ideology, the country should be able to embrace them, welcome all of them so that they continue to live normal lives and be useful to the nation.

“What that means is that we will be saving cost, saving lives that are being lost through bombing, killing of service personnel and we will be saving money that we are using to procure weapons so that such money can go into services and infrastructure and welfare of the citizens of this country. It is a win-win situation.”

On Buhari’s administration On his rating of the Buhari-led government since inception, especially in infrastructure development, Shehu said: “I want to say that the records are there for everyone to see, that no government, no past administration in Nigeria, has invested as much as we have done, or let me say we are currently doing in infrastructure development.

“From day one when he took power, the President gave a target of not less than 30% of annual appropriation devoted to infrastructure development. Without infrastructure, we cannot lay the foundation for growth. “When this administration came to power, between 95 and 96 per cent of public expenditure was going into overhead cost, leaving only about five or four per cent for infrastructure. The allocation of 30 per cent under this administration has led to tremendous improvement in the provision of infrastructure so far in the country. “Now there is a lot of work going on, building new rail lines and the rehabilitation of the old rail system networks; roads are being done all across the country; you only need to drive around to see for yourself.

“The amount of work this administration has done on roads, for instance the expressway, from Enugu to Port Harcourt, has not been done in the eight years of the previous administrations. We are hoping that within this year, before the next election, Lagos-Ibadan expressway will be completed. It’s a lot of money, we are doing it, government is laying the sod now for the construction of a six-lane road from Abuja to Kano. “So, there is so much that is going on in terms of that. We are doing power, you know that this administration has doubled availability of power in the country.

When we came in, it stood at about 3,000 MW, we have hit 7,000 MW and we are doing more, so it depends on what you are looking at. “This is a government that has spent N1.3 trillion in capital expenses under 2016 Budget and has also spent as much as that under the 2017 budget and it’s almost closing on records for last year which was N1.3 trillion.”

Also commenting on the allegation in some quarters that the President has failed in the area of security, basing their arguments on the farmers/ herders crises, Shehu said the problem between farmers and herdsmen predated the independence of Nigeria. He said: “If you read history, you will see that farmers and herdsmen had fought for space in this country, even when British colonial rulers were here, so this is not something new, I am not saying it is welcome but I think it is over amplified now.

“There is a media spotlight on it because the opposition cannot engage Buhari administration on any other issue other than this lacuna that they have found. “They cannot discuss the war against corruption because that’s a very uncomfortable area for them; they don’t want to discuss issues of infrastructure with Buhari, they don’t want to discuss economic diversification which this administration has achieved a lot of success. “Today, we have 12 million rice farmers in this country, six million new jobs are being created in other sectors by agriculture alone, food import has gone down by 95 per cent, we are feeding ourselves.

“This year, the government is planning a ban on rice importation. So we are doing so well moving from over reliance on oil to agriculture and manufacturing. Therefore, I am not saying that it is okay that the farmers and herdsmen are fighting but we are doing a lot.

Fielding question on the call by the President’s contemporaries in the military and former Presidents on him not to seek re-election, Shehu said: “My response to them is that if they like, they can come and contest against President Buhari. He will defeat them, all of them.”

Also on his advice for Nigerians who think that Buhari should not be talking about second term when people are hungry, he said: “With all the noise the PDP is making, even during their time, did they give breakfast, lunch and dinner to every citizen? Is there any country in which someone does not go hungry? “I am not saying it is perfectly in order but they are just politicizing these issues.

This is a government that has removed this country from the shame of food importation, every state of the country now is into rice production, and we are feeding not only Nigeria but west Africa.

Amnesty will not stop Boko Haram —

Mohammed In his reaction, Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, said he does not believe granting amnesty to Boko Haram will solve the problems of insurgency. He said: “I don’t believe the amnesty will stop anything because so far so good, we do not know how far the negotiations between the Federal Government and Boko Haram has gone. Also, we do not know whether it is an honest negotiation that is ongoing or the one based on commercial purposes. “If negotiations are ongoing and we do not know how far they have gone but we are hearing money is exchanging hands, then it is simply blackmail and I can say that at the end of the day, we will realize that FG had not been interfacing with the real leaders of Boko Haram and all the negotiations have been based on commercial purposes.”

It’ll bring Jihad to Nigeria — Okurounmu
Sen. Femi Okurounmun said the call to grant amnesty to Boko Haram is to systematically bring Jihad in the country by President Buhari. He said: “The amnesty move is to call for Jihad and I can say that the herdsmen menace ravaging the country is not different from Boko Haram. Why should they give amnesty to terrorists? I think Nigerians should speak against this call because it is the same people they give amnesty to who will turn around and slaughter people within the country.”

It’s like granting amnesty to Bin Laden — Opara

Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative, Austin Opara, said granting amnesty to Boko Haram can be likened to giving Bin Laden or Al-Qaeda amnesty. He said: “I think this government is trying to mix criminality and terrorism side by side. Granting any amnesty to Boko Haram organisation is unfortunate and I hope this government is thinking about the unity of this country? This development is not only unfortunate but a sad development for this country.”

Did Boko Haram say it wants amnesty?— Ubani

Speaking on the subject, Second Vice President of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Monday Ubani, said: “Did the Boko Haram sect indicate interest that it needs amnesty? Have the insurgents displayed any remorse that they are tired of killing? This is a sect that has killed so many people and they are still killing. “If they have not indicated interest that they want to stop killing or displayed any form of repentance, why is the Federal Government talking about amnesty? This is a government that I support but sometimes it takes actions that make people say things about it.”

Don’t use Niger-Delta oil money to grant foreigners amnesty – Ann Kio-Briggs

Environmental Rights Activist and Convener of Niger-Delta Self-Determination Movement, NDSDM, Ann Kio-Briggs, opposed amnesty for Boko Haram, saying that doing so would amount to the government admitting that Nigeria has failed and it is incapable of saving Nigerians from torrorists and foreign invaders. She said: ‘’Boko Haram has owned up to being a terrorist group. It has declared its support and affiliation to the ISIS, a renowned world terrorist organisation. If the government wants to grant amnesty to a terrorist group, I think this country is finished. It means kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals can be granted amnesty. “I hope they don’t want to use Niger Delta oil money for the amnesty programme.?” Renowned Niger Delta environmental activist, Comrade Alagoa Morris said: “It is indeed with mixed feelings that I receive this latest news about Boko Haram credited to Mr. President. First of all, the past administration also tinkered with the idea of amnesty for this group whose grouse for all their killings and destructions many Nigerians are yet to know. “It also shows how this nation won’t be able to withstand external aggression. If Amnesty is to be granted these terror group after it has destroyed hundreds of lives and property worth billions of Nigeria, for not justifiable reason; then the Federal Government should go it all and provide Social security for all Nigerians who are 70 and above without pension and all unemployed graduates.”

‘It’s good news’ Mr. Joseph Ambakederemo,

Convener, South South Reawakening Group, SSRG, expressed support for the Federal Government’s plan to grant amnesty to the Boko Haram insurgents. He said: “For me, it is a welcome development only if they could see it through to its logical conclusion. The rate of destruction of lives and property is becoming alarming. Therefore, it is good news we have to explore.”

It’s cheap political encomiums — Ohanaeze

The Igbo apex body, yesterday, stated that the Federal government’s move to give amnesty to members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect was aimed at achieving undeserved and cheap political encomiums from uninformed and gullible Nigerians. In a statement issued in Abakaliki, the National Publicity secretary of the organisation, Prince Uche Achi-Okpaga, asked: “How can you grant amnesty to a globally recognised terrorist organization and label an armless organisation, IPOB, a terrorist organisation? “Even after they have fought our armed forces, occupied Nigerian territory, raped, plundered and looted Nigerians. I have no doubt any longer to agree with the constituency that insist that the whole drama is tailored to achieve undeserved and cheap political encomiums. “One may also guess right that the next amnesty will be in favour of the dastardly, cantankerous and dare devil herdsmen that have as well destabilised and truncated the unity of Nigeria and have been killing Nigerians with callous impunity in unabated crescendo. “We keep our fingers crossed as we beseech God Almighty to have mercy on Nigerians.”

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/04/boko-haram-deserves-amnesty-presidency/

Save resources Amnesty to killer BH terrorists Guess your fulani brothers are next Chai! Nigeria is finished. .So all the people including soldiers sacrificed to these senseless self inflicted insurgency were indeed in vain?

Buhari's APC-led government have set a very dangerous precedence.This is still a confirmation that BH was a creation of Buhari and the APC.Divide this shithole of a country.

I like the way the Buhari presidency fights very hard for Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen.

“How can you grant amnesty to a globally recognised terrorist organization and label an armless organisation, IPOB, a terrorist organisation?
“Even after they have fought our armed forces, occupied Nigerian territory, raped, plundered and looted Nigerians. I have no doubt any longer to agree with the constituency that insist that the whole drama is tailored to achieve undeserved and cheap political encomiums.

“One may also guess right that the next amnesty will be in favour of the dastardly, cantankerous and dare devil herdsmen that have as well destabilised and truncated the unity of Nigeria and have been killing Nigerians with callous impunity in unabated crescendo
Worded truth.

amnesty to boko haram? this buhari is senile. i trust saraki and senate to disapprove of such act that will surely bring international disgrace to our people.

when good and law abiding people of nigerians are law obedient, there's nothing for them but there's reward for internationally recognized terrorists who kill ruthlessly and maim Nigerians.


who advices buhari should tell him his plan is dead on arrival and that the only living plan, is the grand one designed to send him to daura in 2019 from where he'll attend his international criminal court cases.

It can only happen to a Country as Nigeria. Let's assume Buhari is a despot with no experience in politics and how it works. Let's give it to Buhari that he is not brilliant and really don't understand many things but what are we going to say of his vice, Osinbajo, a SAN for that matter who only enjoys laughing up and down when there is nothing funny and recently taking to "systematic lies" just to defend his master. I mean Osinbajo should be able to prevent this madness of amnesty grant to Boko Haram but he his hot brilliant too, he is just one overhyped clown. What a shame!

Amnesty for internationally recognised terrorists! And some idiots justify this blatant encouragement of terrorism by a 'legitimate' government? To what end?

Ohanaeze suddenly realises that IPOB was unarmed and peaceful yet supported the lawless proscription by this government and now they want to talk? Did they not hear Mohammed the Liar many years back when he said it was was unlawful to designate BH a terrorist organisation? APC has come to 'right every wrong' done against their agents n mercenaries in d North.

tomakint:
It can only happen to a Country as Nigeria. Let's assume Buhari is a despot with no experience in politics and how it works. Let's give it to Buhari that he is not brilliant and really don't understand many things but what are we going to say of his vice, Osinbajo, a SAN for that matter who only enjoys laughing up and down when there is nothing funny and recently taking to "systematic lies" just to defend his master. I mean Osinbajo should be able to prevent this madness of amnesty grant to Boko Haram but he his hot brilliant too, he is just one overhyped clown. What a shame!

You underestimate Buhari's intelligence to your own peril. He may be dumb as a post to modern economic policies but on any islamic/fulani agenda he is 100% alert and smart, possessing all d cunning and taquiyya skills needed to push forward that deadly, malevolent islamic plan.

Hahahahahah, ohaneze ndigbo suddenly realized how foolish they have been supporting the federal government to proscribe ipob and branding them terrorist, rubbish.

Wonders shall never end.

Yes I agree.

Amnesty for Boko Haram.

Amnesty for Fulani terrorists.

Amnesty for their sister organisation islamic state.

Amnesty for Evans the kidnapper.

If only Osama is alive....maybe pay his family compensation money.

THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN MUST SET FORTH AT DAWN

Buhari's administration is a joke

Virtually all the terrorist organisations in Nigeria are benefiting from Buhari

Several Niger Delta cultist have gotten amnesty and cash

Herdsmen have received government mediation and may even get cattle colonies, after killing hundreds of people this year alone

Now Boko Haram, the killer of thousands of people which the government claims to have 'technically' defeated is going to get amnesty

But IPOB who didnt take up arms nor kill anyone will get heavy military invasion and terrorist prescription

What a joke of a government

Nigerians must come to the realization that boko haram is a northern creation with the purpose of inflicting maximum damage on harmless Nigerians as much as possible for power to return to the North.
Now that boko haram has help them achieve their mission by returning power to the north, they perfected plans to reward boko haram for a job well done through amnesty. That was the plan.
This is why buhari's APC govt claimed (Lied) that they have defeated boko haram even when they have not. It was all a tactical move on their part to grant Amnesty for terrorist responsible for unimaginable crimes against humanity. Granting amnesty to boko haram terrorist was their first plan of action when APC govt was sworn in 2015. Is it any surprise that buhari literally claimed he has technically defeated boko haram on December 2015, just 7 months after assuming power? Amnesty for boko haram was the plan.

The amnesty being bundled up to boko haram by this rudderless incompetent govt under buhari is a message to us that boko haram terrorist can kill, massacre and get away with it just like fulani herdsmen! It means that our loved ones who died due to activities of these terrorist will NEVER get justice for murder! It means that Nigerians Soldiers who were killed by boko haram died in VAIN! It effectively means that all the Trillions of naira budgeted for to fight against boko haram was all a WASTE!

Nigerians must also come to the realization that boko haram is a Muslim organization and because of that, the govt under buhari will rather grant them amnesty (even though they claimed they defeated boko haram) than make them face justice for crimes against humanity.
Lastly, buhari is a boko haram member and supporter.

Amnesty for Book Haram? Nigeria my Nigeria.... Anything else to see? Cause I think I've seen it all

gidgiddy:
Buhari's administration is a joke

Virtually all the terrorist organisations in Nigeria are benefiting from Buhari

Several Niger Delta cultist have gotten amnesty and cash

Herdsmen have received government mediation and may even get cattle colonies, after killing hundreds of people this year alone

Now Boko Haram, the killer of thousands of people which the government claims to have 'technically' defeated is going to get amnesty

But IPOB who didnt take up arms nor kill anyone will get heavy military invasion and terrorist prescription

What a joke of a government

Buhari's rudderless govt is not a govt of Justice. Its a govt of wickedness and revenge. Wickedness that will soon catch up with them in this deceit about fighting terrorism.
They are not even fighting terrorism. They are fighting those who threaten their hold on power. Which is why they rather label a separatist group, IPOB terrorist than go after the real terrorist, "Fulani terrorist herders" wiping communities all over Nigeria.

BUHARI=BOKOHARAM SIMPLE.

When the Twin Tower and The Pentagon were bombed on September 11, 2001, the then President, Bush, didn't waste time before he declared a "war on terrorism".

You see you don't mollycoddle terrorists. You don't treat them with kids glove. You don't appease them. And you don't ever ever compromise. It's a war. Your aim is to finish them, and finish them totally.

You don't grant amnesty to a group who has never asked for it. You don't grant amnesty to a group that hasn't surrendered. You don't grant amnesty to a group that has for years now rendered a part of the country inhabitable. You don't grant amnesty to a people fighting for nothing. You can't reintegrate such nuisances into the society. You can't expect people to treat these Boko Haram boys as normal people afterwards and shake hands with them.

If indeed the government grants Boko Haram amnesty, that should define boldly, in large letters and bright colours, the extent of the failure of this government.

I guess that's one of the reason you started Boko Haram, they have been used to gain power and now they are qualified to get paid after killing thousands of Nigerians.

Buhari you will never ever go unpunished. You and your accomplice will never go unpunished.

Anyone supporting Buharis reelection will die a painful death.

This old man and APC leadership have lost it.

I'm so angry, irritated and curse the day this government came into power. Haba! how can you be this heartless and wicked that you think after killing innocents lives, the murderers deserve a pension for genocide? I don't even know if Nigeria will be better again but what i'm sure of is that you lot will die a very miserable death last last.

Boko Haram deserves amnesty but Nnamdi Kanu don't deserve it.. chai, we are too docile in this shitty hole

That's why any southerner in the military who dies in this Book Haram conflict is a fo.ol.

Stupid Presidency

You don't negotiate with Terrorists.

oh really? boko haram killing people with bomb deserve amnesty while iPob fighting for agitation deserve to be called terrorist?
very soon they will offer amnesty to Fulani herdsmen too, foolish people.

I NO READ BUT I KNOW SAY U WANT GIVE THEM SO GO AHEAD.
NEXT......

Many are mad but few are roaming..