by Rachel Ogbu

The United Aladura Church Worldwide has accused governors of the state where Boko Haram thrives of shielding the faceless group to commit atrocities against Nigerians. The church is now asking President Goodluck Jonathan to take a conclusive step and declare a state of emergency in the affected states to end the bloodshed.

Speaking in Lagos, President of the church, Baba Aladura Samuel Andrew said President Jonathan should re-examine the amnesty plan for the terrorists by putting aside politics and making sure peace reigns in the country.

Andrew said amnesty for the Boko Haram group, would only encourage more rebellions in other parts of the country, adding that the bulk of members of Boko Haram were either Chadians or Nigeriens.

“This kind of uprising is not new to Nigeria. When there was Agbekoya uprising in the South West in the 1970s, the Agbekoya people were never given amnesty. The same thing applied too when there was Maitatsine revolt in the North. If the government should go ahead and grant pardon to these faceless criminals, that would be setting a bad precedent for anarchy in the country. Giving Boko Haram amnesty is like giving amnesty indirectly to Al Qaeda,” he said.

According to reports, the church said Nigerians would surmount the Boko Haram insurgency as it overcame the Agbekoya and Maitatsine with prayers and fasting, adding that everybody should be vigilant and be security conscious so as not to be taken unawares by the terrorist group.

Governors and leaders in the north were advised to assist the president in ending the killing in the North, warning that revenge by southerners would be terrible.