THE
Federal Government has resolved to constitute a fresh committee that
will be saddled with the responsibility of administering the amnesty
being planned for members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.
The PUNCH learnt that the
decision to constitute the new committee was taken at a meeting
President Goodluck Jonathan had with security chiefs on Tuesday on the
lingering insecurity in parts of the country.
A top source in the Presidential Villa,
Abuja, where the meeting held, explained that the decision was based
on the recommendation of the technical committee earlier set up by
Jonathan to consider the various calls for amnesty and its feasibility.
The technical commitee which was
constituted two weeks ago presented its report during the Tuesday
meeting which held just as the Christian Association of Nigeria said
that amnesty was a recipe for confusion in the country.
The technical panel was said to have
advised that the government should yield to the calls for amnesty for
members of the sect in order for peace to reign in the country. The
committee had its members drawn fromthe security chiefs and ministers
who form the security council.
It was saddled with the
responsibility of coming up with a framework that might include the
conditions the sect members have to meet in order to enjoy the amnesty.
The new committee will be an enlarged one with both relevant government officials and people outside of government as members.
Its responsibility will be to
administer the amnesty by identifying the sect members, supervising
their disarmament and coordinating their rehabilitation on behalf of
the government.
Our source said the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, or his nominee was being considered to head the new committee.
The source said that the Office of the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation would make an
announcement on the new committee and its members .
He, however, said the announcement
might be a bit delayed because of the need for government to first
contact those pegged down for the assignment .
The source said, “I can confirm to you
that the technical committee submitted its report today(Tuesday) and the
government has decided to set up a larger amnesty committee whose
membership will be announced by the Office of the SGF soon. Immediately
after consultation is completed, the names would be announced.”
The latest meeting of security chiefs
with Jonathan came less than 12 hours after the President met
traditional rulers from the northern part of the country on the same
issue of insecurity.
The northern traditional leaders had
called on Jonathan to go ahead with the move to grant amnesty to the
sect despite its recent rejection.
The monarchs also called on the President to adopt dialogue as one of the ways to resolve the crisis.
Apart from the heads the Army, Police,
Navy, State Security Service and the National Intelligence Agency, the
Tuesday meeting was attended by members of the Federal Executive Council
and the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki(retd.).
But as the meeting rose, CAN restated its opposition to amnesty for the sect.
The association said that Christians were the sole targets of Boko Haram and not Muslims as claimed by Ja’amatu Nasril Islam.
It added that over 200 churches had been burnt and 1,250 Christians killed in the last three years by the sect.
CAN also stated that Cardinal John
Onaiyekan, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and Dr. Paul Unongo could not
speak on its behalf because their opinions on amnesty did not reflect
the plight of the brutalised victims of attacks by Boko Haram.
The General Secretary of CAN, Dr. Musa
Asake, at a press briefing in Abuja, frowned on utterances of JNI which
portrayed CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, and his executive as
enemies of Nigeria.
He said, “For the JNI to twist ongoing
history so early that it is the major victim of Boko Haram, is to incur a
huge debt on its integrity and credibility as concerns its present crop
of leaders. There is no doubt that some moderate Muslims who oppose the
violent doctrines of Boko Haram, have fallen under its swords. And some
Emirs who have had the courage to speak against the evil of Boko Haram,
have also been attacked.
“But CAN cannot recall if the numbers
are more than what the JNI has named above. But the truth remains that
Christians are the major and main, if not sole targets of Boko Haram.
“Indeed, statistics released by
International agencies show that more Christians were killed in Nigeria
in the year 2012 alone, for their faith than the rest of the world
combined.
“In last three years, besides the
isolated bombings in Abuja, Boko Haram has bombed over 200 churches and
killed over 1,250 Christians worshipping in their churches, burnt and
destroyed whole villages, targeted specific communities/individuals and
has made good every threat it published at inception, to wit the
elimination of all Christians from Northern Nigeria and the total
Islamisation of the North by imposition of strict sharia rule.”
On Kukah and Onaiyekan’s support for
amnesty, CAN said, “The two men do not have any moral or institutional
authority to speak for Nigerian Christians. Their position remains very
unpopular among the persecuted church in the North. Only CAN is vested
with such powers, notwithstanding the constitutional rights of the two
men to air their opinions on any national issues.
PUNCH
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