Opinion: Boko Haram: Will amnesty lead to peace?

by Odinkalu Chigozirim and Simon Sylvester Shanum

jonathan-boko

Boko Haram members mostly are faceless which will impact negatively on the proposed Amnesty.

The emerging trends of terrorism in Nigeria and the activities of the dreaded sect  Jama’atu Ahlus Sunnah Lidda’awatiwal- Jihad (People Committed to the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad) popularly referred to as Boko Haram has assumed an alarming dimension following the killing of the sect leader Mohammed Yusuf allegedly by the police in Nigeria.  Scores have died, several persons displaced and valuables lost. The trends of the killings changes by day with more groups emerging and other criminal elements taking advantage of their bloody activities to bomb, kill and maim innocent Nigerians. The motive behind all this is still not too clear, fundamentally, it has been established that they have no respect and value for the dignity of human life.

The activities of Boko Haram are driven by two reasons: first, politics, politicians for self interest of enriching themselves sponsor and provide them with sophisticated weapons which they use pre and post elections to instigate violent conflicts in Nigeria. Second, religious ideology of wanting to islamatize twelve states in Nigeria. Third, they also want the President and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to be a Muslim. For whatever reason, the number of dead persons murdered by the Boko Haram sect is unquantifiable. Their activities have attracted local and international attention with accusation and counter accusation from different parts and sections.

Several efforts have been made by the present administration to dialogue with the sect on modalities aimed at peace building and ensuring their swords are dropped. First, on Wednesday 17 April, 2013, it set up a 26 member of Boko Haram Amnesty Committee under the chairmanship of the Honorable Minister of Special Duties Alhaji Tanimu Turaki with a representative of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as Secretary. Other members include, Mr. Shehu Sani, Ahmed Lemu, Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Musa Shehu (rtd.), Abubakar Tureta, Datti Ahmed and Abubakar Sodangi. Also in the committee are Ahmed Makarfi, Mohammed Matawalle, Zakari Ibrahim, Naja’atu Mohammed, Adamu Ladan, Joseph Golwa, A.I. Shehu and R.I Nkemdirim. Other members are, P. I. Leha, Nura Alkali, Salihu Abubakar, Abubakar Sani Lugga,Ibrahim Tahir, Ibrahim Sab, Baba Ahmed Jidda, Bilal Bulama, and Bolaji Akinyemi.

The Presidential Committee for Boko Haram Amnesty will work with the following terms of reference: developing a framework for the granting of amnesty and setting up of a framework through which disarmament could take place within a 60-day time frame. The committee would also develop a comprehensive victims’ support programme, and mechanisms to address the underlying causes of insurgencies that will help to prevent future occurrences.

Mr. Abati said the decision to set up the committee was sequel to the consideration of the report of the technical committee set up by the National Security Council on insecurity in the Northern part of the country.

The president also constituted a Federal Government committee on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. The 17-member Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons is chaired by Emmanuel Imohe, while the Director, Department of International Organization in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will serve as Secretary. Other members are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Martin Uhomoibhi, T.D. Hart, Ghali Umar, M.G. Wakil and Opelusi Olureti. Others are a representative each from the Ministry of Interior, Office of the National Security Adviser, Office of the Director General, State Security Services and the National Intelligence Agency. Also on the committee are a representative each of the Federal Ministries of Justice and Defence; Defence Intelligence Agency, the Nigeria Customs Services and Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

The constitution of the second committee, according to Mr. Abati, is in keeping with Nigeria’s pledge to work with the UN and other countries to stem “the worrisome proliferation of small arms and light weapons’’. The president said the use of such weapons was creating insecurity and instability in Nigeria and other developing nations.

The president would formally inaugurate the committees on Wednesday, April 24, at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Analysts and well-meaning Nigerians have argued that the victims of Boko Haram attacks should be considered first before granting amnesty to the real Boko Haram. The political and criminal book haram should be considered also and modalities on how best to bring all parties together for the much needed peace agreed upon to enable the country make tangible developmental progress.  Many Nigerians most especially the family of the affected victims of Boko Haram attacks would wish that Nigerians irrespective of cultural, ethno-religious differences speak with one voice in condemnation of the bloodshed caused by the sect. The decision Amnesty for the sect is yet to be taken and modalities made public.

Amnesty can be regarded as a period during which crimes can be admitted or illegal weapons handed in without prosecution. The standard of Amnesty therefore will be that before any pardon can be granted to an offender, first he/she must admit to their crimes and seek for forgiveness before any form of redemption can be considered. Two things are vital here, acceptance of wrong-doing on the part of the offender before the amnesty is considered. According to Abubakar Shekau, the present leader of Boko Haram sect in response to the Federal Government Amnesty on Thursday 11th April 2013, he said and  we quote “Boko Haram have not committed any wrong to deserve Amnesty, on the contrary they are the ones that will determine whether or not to grant the Federal Government Amnesty”.  Following this statement by the leader of the sect, many Nigerians are convinced that the clamour from Nigerians, politicians and religious leaders on the “BOKO HARAM AMNESTY” is a difficult task and not realizable. The Amnesty Committee on Boko Haram, set up by President Goodluck Jonathan, may have begun its work in earnest with the terms of reference guiding their activities. It is sad to know that Boko Haram who have killed several persons since they began their campaign of terror in 2009, deserve amnesty like the Niger Delta militants, who fought a just cause.  Their activities were driven by equitable distribution of resources generated from the Niger Delta region by the Nigeria Government and oil companies operating in the region, oil exploration and environmental degradation of the region. The activities of the Niger Delta Militants’ were based on economic and political reasons upon which Amnesty was considered for them. Security experts and analysts have argued that the same amnesty package may not work for the sect because of the religious ideology that is driving its activities. Boko Haram bloody killings and bombings are based on ideology and religion coupled with external influence and support of Al-Qaeda network.

Boko Haram members mostly are faceless which will impact negatively on the proposed Amnesty. While there has been divided opinion on amnesty for the sect, it’s important to know the short, medium and long term effect of the amnesty plan and whether or not it would lead to peace which Nigerians has longed and prayed for. For instance, a respected activist confirmed that the process so far adopted by the Federal Government for the amnesty committee is faulty. For him, those who attended the meeting that formed the amnesty committee are “government apologists” who knew little about Boko Haram and its mode of operations. If we are not careful, a wrong signal will be sent to our younger generation. He observed that those who have set their eyes on the money they will make from the “faulty” process are assuring President Goodluck Jonathan that all is well.

The concern is on the Amnesty plan for the sect as solicited by a cross section of Nigerians with the hope that amnesty will lead to peace, peaceful co-existence, renouncing violence and coming out from their hide to embrace peace on the part of the sect.  With the Boko Haram amnesty committee set to drive the process, commitment on the part of the sect is also needed to aid the process in the proposed dialogue between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the sect. While amnesty remains an option for achieving peace will it bring about the much needed peace? Will the leaders of Boko Haram drop their swords and embrace peace?

It will be more helpful to address poverty, unemployment and other problems facing the nation that impacts negatively on our younger generation because peace is priceless.

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

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