B’Haram: FG plans fresh panel to oversee amnesty

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