MAKING A LOT OF SENSE : Convince Boko Haram To Come Out Of Hiding, President Tells Proponents Of Amnesty

 

By SaharaReporters, New York

The presidency has called on proponents of amnesty for members of the Boko Haram sect to take a cue from how the amnesty programme in the Niger Delta was brokered by initiating contact with the leadership of the sect and convincing them to come out and dialogue with the government.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, offered the advice today in a press statement issued in Abuja.
Okupe argued that President Goodluck Jonathan has nothing to gain from the prolongation of the wanton destruction of life and property by members of the sect, and expects leaders of thought in the affected states to prevail on the leadership of the sect to abandon their destructive pursuit and embrace dialogue like the militants in the Niger Delta did before amnesty was granted.
He also warned against politicising the issue of amnesty and using it to blackmail the President whose over riding desire, he said, is the peaceful and harmonious co-existence of all Nigerians irrespective of their social, religious and political leanings.
In his words, “There is therefore no need for the over politicization of the demand for Amnesty, nor to blackmail the President for taking strong, patriotic but contrary views to those of some of our respected elders.
“Such, sometimes is the nature of statecraft and in many parts of the civilized world, situation like this are handled with equanimity and further deepening of consultation, certainly not acrimonious misunderstanding or open hatred.
He said he expected respected leaders to go back to the drawing board and increase internal consultation and networking with the aim of reaching out to the leadership of the insurgents and convincing them “to do the needful and step out to be counted."
The president's aide recalled that prominent leaders of the Niger Delta such as former Information Minister, Edwin Clark; former Governor Diepreye Alameieyeseigha; former Minister for Culture Alabo Graham Douglas and a few others co-operated fully with the late President Musa Yar'Adua by visiting militants camps and persuading them to lay down their arms and allow government address their grievances in a civilized manner.
Naming people he called “nationally-acknowledged” leadership of Niger Delta militants, including Asari Dokubo, Boyloaf, Tompolo, Atake Tom, Tamuno George, Soboma George, Okupe said they negotiated openly and transparently with the government.
He also said that there was need to be mindful that there are other ethnic militias in the country who have remained essentially peaceful, and who may by these calls for amnesty for Boko Haram be encouraged to now pursue violence, and that grandstanding, undue politicization, blackmail and insincerity will not help us as a Nation.