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Tag: amnesty

  • Between amnesty and state pardon…

    Between amnesty and state pardon…

    I hope I will not soon be telling any FRSC man who stops me, the government is giving amnesty to killers and pardoning plunderers and you are holding me for answering a phone call in traffic?

    I hope I will not soon be telling any FRSC man who stops me, the government is giving amnesty to killers and pardoning plunderers and you are holding me for answering a phone call in traffic?

    Not long ago, I wrote that the Maina saga of N195 billion had got to be the limit my shock absorbing system can take, cause I thought how much else was there? Plenty more, it seems. Since then, my system has reverberated from the shock of many more high voltages. For instance, I found that you can cook an entire cow in the microwave; you can walk to Timbuctoo without the aid of a camel; a deaf and dumb can sing on Broadway, my dog can stand on his hind legs and dance to music, and yes, yes, yes, the government can grant pardons to state plunderers. Anything after that, as they say, is cheesecake. I mean, when you think you’ve heard it all, something bigger comes along, yet, we keep on swallowing our tea, sandwiches and roll-ups of amala. Life goes on, eh?

    First came a request from the north that the country grant Boko Haram members amnesty and, like everyone else, the shock of it reverberated right across my teeth. But then, as usual, I recovered in time to think ‘Ah ha, Ah ha! Now, we have arrived at exactly where we were headed from the start.’ It has been obvious to many observers that the northern elites had wanted a replication of the Niger Delta amnesty programme for their own youths in the north for quite a while. However, in creating that organisation, the elites forgot to give the manual of behaviour: do not throw families into needless grief, and do not begin to go after your own. But, here we are, after the group has thrown many families into grief and mourning across the country, they are looking for amnesty, the kind granted in the Niger Delta.

    No one needs any crystal glass to see that the activities of the two groups are as different from each other as the north is from the south, but that is not our focus now. Our focus is the use of the word ‘amnesty’ itself. No, do not fear, I am not about to give you an English lesson, just to point out that the granting of an amnesty to the ND militants in the first place was misplaced. Clearly, when you take to arms, it is because something is wrong and that is the only way you can point it out, not unless of course you are so taken by consternation as I once was at the sight of a fire that all I could do was gawk like a fish and point at the sight while trying and failing to mouth ‘F-f-f-f-f…’ So, the government should have reasoned that if there was a problem somewhere, there was the likelihood that there was a problem elsewhere. In other words, it was wrong for the government to have trained its binoculars on just the problem volcano, forgetting that other dormant volcanoes might just be waiting for the right time to explode.

    More importantly, the contents of the amnesty programme itself leave many of us scratching our heads. Why should the government sponsor youths to go abroad to study courses that are available in the country? It amounts to a complete separation of state when one section is given too many handouts, even if that section produces a great deal of the country’s resources. It would have been better to translate such awards to social amenities such as schools, effective rail and electricity systems. This would let every section of the country be treated fairly and equally when everyone is given equal access to these privileges. That is good governance.

    Bad governance is giving the ND youths monetary gifts, much of which is squandered on licentious living, instead of training them to live worthy lives of work and great achievements. Bad governance is also keeping the ND area underdeveloped and in perpetual darkness while claiming that the area is too difficult a terrain to govern. Yet, the rest of the country enjoys electricity powered by gas from the region. If everyone were to enjoy the commodity equally, no one would feel compelled to cut off the supply since he knows he will also be affected. Therefore, paying off the restless youths of the ND and failing to develop the region is tantamount to giving sweets to crying children just to keep them quiet. In a while, the sweets will melt off and the crying will resume. It is better to point the child to the kind of behaviour that can earn him or her as much sweets as he or she can take independently.

    Back to the Boko Haram request. I think we are all inclined to say that the north started the Boko Haram problem, so let them fix it. The truth is that in so many ways, their activities have affected the rest of the country. Many among us can no longer take as much as forty winks of a night; imagine, many are now reduced to taking only thirty-eight or so. Many churches cannot even now pray with their eyes closed but must perpetually watch their gates or place policemen there so that no unwanted visitor comes driving up the wall. Haba, that is just so sacrilegious. So, we cannot wash our hands off them, but a firm answer should be that first and foremost, every drop of innocent blood that has been shed must be accounted for.

    However, the government needs to watch out. Soon, the western part of the country will also want the benefits of amnesty, and then the east, and then the middle belt, and then the middle-middle belt, and then the south-south east, and then the south-south-south west, and then the south-south-south east … Look, it was wrong for the government to have started the programme in the ND without considering that someday, some others like me would get up and demand their own share. There must be ways of getting off this train though before it crashes. Oh, I forget, it is already crashing. Just look at how Alamieyeseigha was granted state pardon. And that’s the second kettle of fish.

    The government just loves fishing in troubled waters, does it not, considering the way it moves from one boiling pot to another? If it is not renaming universities with long standing names, it is granting state pardons to people with whom the country has had long standing grudges. I believe that anyone can be pardoned; I have always believed in second and third and fourth and more chances but please, there is a time for everything. And this is not the most auspicious time for this kind of pardon. Things are too dicey, corruption is irritating everyone’s nose and daring all of us to hell, and state functionaries are behaving as if they exist on a different plane and jetting around the world like sparrows. So yes, everyone is sore right now and the atmosphere is as thick and dry as a tinderbox, ready to explode. All it just wants now is for someone to strike a match…

    As I said before, my shock absorbing system, and that of the country, appears on the surface to be insensate but I suspect that beneath that thin veneer of invulnerability is a system that can scream, shout and throw tantrums and someday will say enough is enough! I hope I will not have to retort to the next Road Safety man who accosts me for answering the phone in traffic: the federal government is giving amnesty to killers and pardoning plunderers and you are holding me for answering a phone call in traffic? But I won’t be alone; I know many of my fellow countrymen will join me.

  • This amnesty gambit

    This amnesty gambit

    Nigeria is indeed a troubled country. That is why the talk about amnesty has always taken centre stage in our public discourse over the years. The first time it came up, though in a different garb, was in 1970. Remember, the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon’s three Rs – Rehabilitation, Reintegration and Reconstruction – after 30 months of a grueling civil war – May 1967 to January 12, 1970.

    The word came up again 37 years after. This time, it was not masked in any form of rhetoric. On assumption of office in 2007, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, in his wisdom, knew that the festering Niger Delta problem needed a solution. He came up with the amnesty programme. This brought some semblance of relief to the region. Today, the Yar’Adua amnesty programme remains a sort of magic wand that doused the tension and acrimony in the Niger Delta region, even though the neglect of the region is still there and the situation is far from normal. At least, successive governments can build on that foundation.

    The ‘instant success’ recorded by the Yar’Adua amnesty in the Niger Delta must have encouraged the highly revered Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar III, to come out with such a proposal to end the senseless killings in some parts of the country. With his military background and his preeminent status, I am sure the Sultan actually knew what he was talking about. But since last week when he gave the ‘advise’, it has generated heated debates all over the country. Though this was not the first time such a proposal was being championed by influential people in the North, particularly in Borno State, the intensity of the debate has far removed from the issue at stake- finding a lasting peace in the North.

    Without mincing words, there is obvious lack of sincerity in the approach to find peace to the brigandage that is going on in certain parts of the North. In my honest and candid view, we are all guilty: the federal government, the northern elders and the rest of us.

    It would appear that President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent showing in Maiduguri was the first time he had spoken as “President and Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”. He pointedly told his audience that his government cannot declare “amnesty for ghosts”. This is an obvious reference to the Boko Haram sect which has donned a toga of secrecy while killing and maiming innocent people all over the place.

    Our sensibilities have continued to be assaulted with such ridiculous stories that the insurgents are unknown. Yet, several times, the security agencies have stumbled on so many leads which could have been explored to unmask those behind this façade of a jihad, without anything coming out of them. The perpetrators of these heinous crimes are on the internet every now and then, but what we hear all the time is that they are faceless.

    The other day, a group of masked men came out to address a press conference but they are still classified as unknown people. Some of them also came out to hold meetings with the Monsignor Hassan Kukah-led panel at the Government House in Maiduguri, yet they are still passed on as faceless. This is why I say that the whole episode bears some tinge of insincerity.

    Assuming that the security agencies do not know those behind this wanton destruction of lives and property, what about those at the receiving end? I mean the elders and leaders of the affected areas. Is there anything wrong if these people could be patriotic enough to provide useful information that could assist the security agencies to unmask these evil people in their midst?

    As for the security agencies, their big bosses in air-conditioned offices in Abuja and elsewhere may be complacent because it is ‘the boys’ who are facing the heat at the trouble-zone. Who knows what is actually happening to the allowances meant for the boys? We all know what happened to the stipends of the boys who went for peacekeeping in some West African countries in the recent past. They were short-changed. And when they ventured to show their resentment through protest, they were summarily carted to jail.

    What I am saying here is that I don’t want to believe the story that the security agencies have not been able to unmask the brains behind this Boko Haram insurgency. The President actually admitted sometimes ago that the sect members had infiltrated the security agencies and even his government. Are we to believe that non-Boko Haram security agents or top government officials do not know their colleagues who have sympathy for the satanic sect? Are we saying that the Army cannot unmask those who gave away the movement of troops who were recently attacked in Kogi State on their way to Mali?

    A former governor of Borno State who presided over the state when Boko Haram notoriety hit newspaper headlines in 2009 has been carrying on as if he does not have any idea whatsoever about the leaders of this murderous group. Is that former governor still denying the fact that he does not have any idea of who the sponsors of Boko Haram are? What about the lawmaker whose call logs contained calls made to known Boko Haram agents? And what about the man in whose house one of the wanted commanders of the sect was allegedly apprehended? Are we all still claiming that the people are ghosts?

    Since three years ago, when the activities of the sect peaked to a frightening proportion in Maiduguri and environs, some leaders and elders of Borno State have not changed their tunes. All they have been saying is: dialogue with the people; withdraw the soldiers; and now, amnesty. I am sure that the relentlessness of the Northern leaders and elders on their calls for dialogue and or amnesty for the Boko Haram insurgents is a deliberate attempt to hoodwink the government of the day to achieve what violence has not been able to achieve. Why are they so particular about dialogue and amnesty? Would it be out of place, if they equally encourage these ‘ghosts’ to show up, renounce violence and then ask for amnesty for their members?

    Boko Haram or whichever name the splinter groups now go about is an offshoot of the Maitasine sect that shook some parts of the north during the second republic. The late Muhammed Marwa, who founded the Maitasine sect at that time, had a stronghold in Maiduguri, precisely at Bulumkutu Quarters. They were later dislodged, only for them to regroup in Kano. It was in Kano that they confronted the government of former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari in the early 80s. Shagari took the bull by the horns and quickly called in the Army. Within a few days, the soldiers succeeded in neutralising the sect and their leaders. It was a combined military offensive involving the army, navy and air force.

    I am quite sure that if Mr. President had not listened to those who initially encouraged him to be soft on the sect members three years ago when their nonsense escalated, by now, we would have been spared the orgy of violence that has crippled a substantial section of the country.

    The leaders and elders of the North will do us some good if they can truly unmask those among them who are the source of oxygen for the insurgents. It is not enough to tell us that it is the duty of the government to bring perpetrators of evil to book. That is true. But no government or security agency can go it alone if those who should know and show the way are not ready to do so. They are guilty of a conspiracy of silence. That is why the talk of amnesty cannot hold water, at least, for now. Period!

  • Boko Haram and politics of amnesty

    Boko Haram and politics of amnesty

    Mixed reactions by politicians, lawyers and rights activists have trailed the clamour for amnesty for the members of the Boko Haram sect by the northern leaders. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU captures their optimisms and reservations.

    Should the Federal Government grant amnesty to the members of the Boko Haram sect? There is no agreement on this vexed issue. Many Nigerians have supported the recommendation by the prominent northern leaders, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saa’d Abubakar, that the Federal Government should end the carnage in the region through amnesty to the rebellious sect. But other stakeholders have called for caution, saying that it is wrong to reward murder with an unearned pardon.

    Those who opposed the extention of the amnesty to the sect said that, unlike the Niger Delta militants, who protested against the environmental denigration of the oil-producing states, the Boko Haram sect members are not known. Besides, they believe that the claims of the invincible group are neither valid, justifiable nor verifiable.

    In Damaturu, Yobe State capital, President Goodluck Jonathan apparently ruled out the possibility of holding dialogue with unidentified people. It is another way of asking the sect members to remove their masks. However, those who perceive the amnesty as a likely solution to the killings have submitted that the option should be explored for the sake of peace and security.

    A political scientist, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, who reflected on the grievous security situation in the country, submitted that the amnesty should be given a trial. He urged the government to embrace the reality that it lacks the power to overcome the current predicament. “I believe the agitation for amnesty is a welcome development, particularly if it will translate into the laying down of arms by the sect and giving peace a chance”, he added.

    But Ajayi, who teaches at the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, emphasisded that the politics of the amnesty should be investigated. He feared that the agitation may be borne out of the desire by the North to achieve ethnic balancing in the amnesty policy. The university don warned that amnesty may therefore, translate to national resource allocation by another means. Noting that a lot of money has gone into the amnesty programme and ex-militants are enjoying foreign training to the envy of the other geo-political zones, he said that “the fear is that, before long, other militants such as the Oodua Peoples Congress and Bakassi Boys may request for amnesty”.

    “All the same, I support the amnesty for Boko Haram sect as it will make them come to the open for camping and registration as it was done for the Niger Delta militants. This way, their identities will be known”, he maintained.

    Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chief Victor Umeh aligned with the pro-amnesty stakeholders. Although he doubted how the government will identify the sect members, he said any method that can bring peace to the troubled nation should be encouraged. “It is an amorphous organisation. They have used their tactics to wreak havoc on the country. I don’t know how they can come out. Government should investigate them, if they can be identified. If they are sincere, it should be pursued as an option to avoid the waste of lives and resources”, Umeh added.

    House of Representatives member Hon. Morouf Akinderu-Fatai is ambivalent about the advice by the northern leaders. He called for a wholistic approach to the security challenge, urging caution against resolving intransigency through amnesty. In his view, the government and elite have failed to uncover the den of the troublers of the national peace. The legislator said, although all possibilities should be explored, not all the routes will lead to the solution.

    “We must encourage those of them that decides to retrace their steps and come forward. However, we should be careful to avoid the kind of situation in the Southsouth whereby young men in the creeks were regarded as militants, thereby encouraging corruption”, he submitted.

    Like Ajayi, the legislator alluded to the challenge of granting amnesty to faceless rebellious youths whose demands are offensive to the commonsense. Akinderu-Fatai re-echoed the national question, saying that the Boko Haram threat has made its resolution more compelling. He pointed out that the sect’s onslaught has implications for national unity. “We must sit to discuss, if we really want to be together and design how we want to govern ourselves”, the legislator added.

    This line of thought is supported by the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) chieftain, Mr. Kunle Famoriyo. He lamented that certain people are encouraging people to behead innocent Nigerians without provocation and justification and go scot free. “How do we bring back to life those who have been wasted senselessly under whatever guise”, queried Famoriyo, who said that the murderous sect should not be treated with kid gloves. Stressing that criminals should be made to face the wrath of the law, he said, since Boko Haram members are not licensed to kill, they deserve no amnesty.

    To Comrade Joe Igbokwe, Lagos State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Publicity Secretary, amnesty is being politicised in the country. He opposed the North’s suggestion, saying that it is counter-productive to reward crime with special favours. In his opinion, the sect members are murderers and international terrorists waging an inexplicable war against their fatherland. “We may be setting a dangerous precedence. Such groups may rise up tomorrow, murder many people as possible, and before you know it, their people will be asking for amnesty, citing previous ones as templates.

    “But, if the Federal Government feels hopeless and helpless in dealing with the insurgency, if they do not know what to do any longer and granting amnesty remains their last card, let them do it to stop this carnage. But what happens to the victims of Boko Haram? Will they just go home to lick their wounds? Would they be compensated?”, he queried.

    The Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, shares these views. He described the amnesty programme as a big scam, which gave rise to a number of emergency billionaire-thugs in the Niger Delta. He said granting pardon to killers is unimaginable, adding that the amnesty being proposed may amount to another freeloads to criminals. He said, even if dialogue is contemplated, the those who have killed innocent people should be brought to book. “We must combine dialogue and law enforcement, but the most enduring thing is to use the resources given to the thugs in the creeks to build infrastructure and create an enabling environment for economic opportunities for the impoverished people. We need to invest seriously in social security”, he added.

    A psychologist, Dr. Soji Aremu, said that, since amnesty is a state pardon for taking arms against a state by those who have been convicted by the law court, the prerogative can only be extended to the Boko Haram sect, if it shows remorse. “The question is: have Boko Haramists shown remorse? Have they laid down their arms and ammunitions against the state? Have they restituted the serial killings of innocent children and foreigners?.

    “So, asking for amnesty is putting the cat before the horse. It is a misplaced call in the context of the crime committed by the sect. Amnesty presupposes a change of mind not to take arms against the state again. It is on that condition that amnesty can be given and there after, members of the sect will be rehabilitated”, he stressed.

    Observers believe that no calamity of enormous proportion has befallen the fledgling nation-state more than the horror unleashed by the dreadful sect, since the end of the civil war in 1970. Many lives and property have been destroyed. Targets of the attacks include government officials and buildings, traditional rulers, police and military formations, and church worshippers. The invincible agitators’ projected demands are inexplicable and indefensible

    Many have argued that the political undertone of the curious war by the bombers may have been inadvertently ignored. Also, it is curious that the sponsors of these destructive have escaped the detective lenses of the intelligence agents. Critics have also submitted that the failed attempts at curbing the activities of the sect have created a hollow in the record of President Jonathan in the critical area of national security. At a time, there was confusion in the government as the Commander-In-Chief cried out that Boko Haram had invaded the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

    In recent times, Boko Haram sect decided to raised the hope of Nigerians about ceasefire. A faction of the group announced that it was tired of killing. But two weeks after, the hope was dashed. More callous killings were reported. The camouflage surrender only paved the way for more panic in the North. Soon, the faceless fighters started to demand for the release of their members who are in detention.

    According to analysts, an important component of the amnesty being suggested by the northern leaders is dialogue. Stakeholders who have objected to dialogue insist that the approach is defeatist. Their argument is that dialogue with similar organisations in many African and Asian countries have never yielded the expected dividends. Others have canvassed the option of daring the arsonists by tracking them down and bringing them to justice.

    Government has exercised caution in its response to this emergency. Apart from rejecting the pressure to label the members of the sect as terrorists, President Goodluck Jonathan has not relented in urging the sect to embrace peace. . This approach, many agree, is conciliatory. Ajayi said that dialogue may also be explored for the purpose of unveiling the power brokers sustaining the onslaught, the strength of the sect, the identity of its financiers, arms suppliers, links with terrorist organisations and the real motivation for the affront.

    However, dialogue has limitation and it requires more political and professional skills. Although Aremu described it as the language of democracy, he warned against its misuse. Supporting him, Igbokwe said that the option smacked of timidity.

    Ajayi however, reminded the anti-amnesty crusaders that dialogue is critical to crisis resolution and peace making. He recalled that peace returned to the troubled Niger Delta, following the dialogue between the government and the militants. “ Dialogue with the sect will enable the government to know the real grievances of the sect, the reasons behind their actions and what can be done to appease it and elicit from them solution possibilities. It will also bring the two sides to a negotiating table. The advantage is that it will make the government to know the actual members and leaders of the group, who cannot ordinarily be disclosed under normal situation”, he explained.

    Ajayi urged the government to shun the fear of being labeled “ a government that hold talks with terrorists” by foreign powers. He said that the expected dividend of peace overrides the stigmitisation that may follow the dialogue.

    Another human rights activist, Lanre Suraj, advised the President to employ all the constitutional and legitimate means to ensure security. He said dialogue is not bad, if it is properly managed. “Dialogue with any disgruntled stakeholder is in the collective interest of the system. This is not limited to Boko Haram. If every war and conflict ends with a dialogue or discussion, why not avert the cost of a violent conflict and start embarking on the resolution of the disagreement with dialogue? This is better”, Suraj added.

    Igbokwe disagreed. “They have murdered children, mothers, fathers and youths for a cause that is not only laughable, but stupid. To engage them in a dialogue is to celebrate criminality”, he said, maintaining that other groups may spring up to terrorise the trembling country. He said government should come out to tell anxious Nigerians that the dialogue and amnesty are the last options.

    Former Rector of Lagos State Polytechnic, Olawumi Gasper, said it would be a sad day in Nigeria when government officials sit with faceless people carrying dangerous weapons and threatening the collective peace of the society. He urged the President to rise up to the occasion as the Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces.”The nation requires a sound and effective local and community intelligence framework. This should further be complemented by military action. Our actions must be non-political, brutal and forceful within a short span of three months, with all the borders closed during the operation period. We must commence these military actions before the beginning of political activities leading to the next presidential election,” he said.

  • Boko Haram: No amnesty for ghosts, says Jonathan

    Boko Haram: No amnesty for ghosts, says Jonathan

    Proponents of amnesty for Boko Haram members got a piece of bad news yesterday.

    President Goodluck Jonathan said the government would not give amnesty to “ghosts”.

    The issue cannot be discussed, for now, he said emphatically.

    Dr. Jonathan spoke in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, on the first leg of his visit to the twin states of Borno and Yobe – epicentre of Boko Haram insurgency.

    The government, he said, cannot grant amnesty to “ghosts”, adding that there is no parallel between the Boko Harma insurgency and the militancy in the Niger Delta, which was tackled with amnesty programme by the Yar’Adua administration when he was vice president.

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, and a committee of the North’s elders set up by the Northern Governors have urged the President to grant amnesty to the sect’s members to end the insurgency and killings being carried out by the sect.

    No fewer than 1,000 people are believed to have been killed by the sect, in addition to paralysing the economies of the two states.

    The President denied that he had deliberately refused to visit Yobe and Borno states.

    He met with stakeholders in a Town Hall Meeting at the Wawa Hall of the Government House in Damaturu, saying he does not discriminate against any section of the country.

    He said: “Even the media said the President was going to Yobe to declare amnesty… you cannot declare amnesty for ghosts. Boko Haram is still operating as ghosts. You don’t see the person. I am from the Niger Delta and I know the amnesty issue of the Niger Delta. Some of these names you hear- Asari Dokubo, Tom Ateke – I never knew them before, until when I was a deputy governor and went to Abuja for a meeting with President Olusegun Obasanjo at the villa. I never knew them, even though I’m from Bayelsa State, the hotbed of the militancy at the time.

    “What I am saying is that in the Niger Delta, if you call them, they will come and tell you their grievances, whether rightly or wrongly, but they will be there to tell you that this is what we want and this is why we are doing this.

    “But the Boko Haram, you don’t see anybody who says he is a Boko Haram (member). As such, you cannot declare amnesty. For you to declare amnesty, you have to be communicating with people. You cannot declare amnesty for people that are operating under a veil, so we cannot even discuss the issue of amnesty.

    “Let them come, let us discuss how we solve the problem. If amnesty will solve the problem, no problem about it. We can define what the amnesty is. I say so because even the Niger Delta amnesty was poorly managed with a lot of challenges. If I were not from the Niger Delta, the whole thing would have been disastrous by now because of the way it was poorly managed,” the President said.

    Explaining his inability to visit Yobe until yesterday the President said: “I would have visited Yobe State long ago and even Borno State much much earlier. You can ask Col. Sambo Dasuki, the National Security Adviser (NSA) even before he took over, I said ‘look, we must go to these states’. When he (the NSA) took over, I had no time and he had to rush on a visit not quite one week after he assumed office.

    “My visit is to re-assure the people of Yobe that there is no difference between the Federal Government and any other part of the country. There are some kinds of insinuations that President doesn’t want to go to the northeast.

    “Following the crisis of Boko Haram, I visited two states outside those incidents that happened in Abuja. When the police headquarters was bombed, I had to go there. When the United Nations (UN) building was bombed, I visited and, of course, the first major attack on a religious centre was when the Catholic Church was bombed in Niger State and the kind of signals I had could have provoked actions. I had to rush down and declare that emergency. And, of course, when there was one major attack in Kano, I also visited.

    “But somehow I have not visited Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe states I have not and sometimes people are insinuating that the president doesn’t like these states, no.

    “My coming is to reassure the people of Yobe State that I don’t discriminate between the sections of the country. I took an oath of office to treat Nigeria as one and what affects Yobe State affects the rest of the country.

    “The issues of terror, if you listen to my public statement, even outside Nigeria, I normally emphasise that when there is a terrorist situation in any part of the world, it affects the whole world because the victims may not necessary come from that part of the world. If one state or one community is under a terrorist attack, it affects the rest. Look at what happened in Bauchi State where some expatriate workers of Setraco were kidnapped. I get calls from the presidents of the countries where these people come from.

    “There is no way a president, whether he is Jonathan or anybody, will say he will not care about what happens in any part of the federation. We must care; it has nothing to do with politics. I really want to use this opportunity to reassure my brothers and sister in Yobe State that because I had not visited Yobe does not mean that I am less concerned. I am happy today that we are interacting,” he said.

    President Jonathan met with Governor Ibrahim Gaidam and they discussed how to resolve the crisis in the state. The President also met privately with the Emirs and other traditional rulers.

    Dr. Jonathan inaugurated the 300 housing units and a library at the Yobe State University named after him. He donated N200million to the school.

    The President left Yobe for Borno where he was received by Governor Kashim Shettima.

  • Jonathan declines amnesty for Boko Haram

    Jonathan declines amnesty for Boko Haram

    …Says ‘We cannot give amnesty to ghosts’ 

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday said the call of amnesty for Boko Haram members by some people is out of question, just as he declared that his government cannot grant amnesty for “ghosts.”

    The president, who was in Damaturu for the first time since almost one year of the insurgency in the state, also dismissed insinuations that he does not like the north-eastern part of country.

    President Jonathan met with the stakeholders in a Town Hall Meeting at the Wawa Hall of the government House in Damaturu and said that his visit to the state is to reassure the people of the state that he does not discriminate against any section of the country.

    Speaking on the issue of amnesty, the president said,“Even the media was saying the president was going to Yobe to declare amnesty …… you cannot declare amnesty for ghosts. Boko Haram is still operating as ghosts. You don’t see the person. I am from the Niger Delta and I know the amnesty issue of the Niger Delta. Some of these names you hear- Asari Dokobo, Tom Ateke, I never knew them before.

    “The first time I saw them was when I was a deputy governor and a came to Abuja for with a meeting with ex- president Olusegun Obasanjo at the villa. I never knew them even though I am from Bayelsa State, the hotbed of the militancy then. What I am saying is that in the Niger Delta, if you call them, they will come and tell you their grievances whether rightly or wrongly. They will be there to tell you that this is what we want and this is why we are doing this.

    “But the Boko Haram, you don’t see anybody who says he is a Boko Haram as such you cannot declare amnesty. For you to declare amnesty, you have to be communicating with people. You cannot declare amnesty for people that are operating under a veil so we cannot even discuss the issue of amnesty.

    “Let them come, let us discuss how we solve the problem. If amnesty will solve the problem, no problem about it. We can define what the amnesty is. I say so because even the Niger Delta amnesty was poorly managed with a lot of challenges. If I am not from the Niger Delta, the whole thing would have been disastrous by now because of the way it was poorly managed, “the president said.

     

  • North seeks amnesty for Boko Haram suspects

    North seeks amnesty for Boko Haram suspects

    -Governors Forum’s panel in talks with sect

    -Gunmen kill eight

     

    A committee set up by the Northern States Governors’ Forum has opened talks with some leaders of Boko Haram, The Nation learnt yesterday.

    The sect’s leaders promised to meet and convince its spiritual head, Imam Abubakar Shekau, to renounce violence, sources said.

    The panel made five recommendations to President Goodluck Jonathan, who is set to visit Borno and Yobe states — the main theatres of Boko Haram’s bloody campaign.

    The recommendations include unconditional amnesty for Boko Haram (Western education is a sin) members.

    These are the highlights of a report sent to the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) by the NSGF Committee on Reconciliation, Healing and Security.

    The report called for the immediate release of all detainees against whom there is no established case of criminal involvement.

    The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, on August 22, last year inaugurated the 41-man panel headed by Amb. Zakari Ibrahim.

    Other members of the panel are: Prof. Tijani El-Miskin, Prof. Shedrack Best, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, Prof. Habu Galadima, AIG Hamisu Ali Jos, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, Prof. Muhammad Akaro Mainoma, Hajiya Dije Bala, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Usman, Prof. Sani Abdulkadir, Air Vice Marshal Mukhtar Mohammed, Justice Umaru Abdullahi (c/o Governor of Katsina State), Haj. Mariam Uwais, Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, Group Capt. Bilal Bulama [rtd], Col. Musa Shehu, Iliya Ithuve, Ali M. Dandiya, Gen. GP Zidon, Justice Usman Baba Liman, Sheikh Mohammed Isa, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, Karibullah Nasiru Kabara, Sheikh Yusuf Sambo Rigachikun, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, Bishop Michael E. Apochi, Imam Goni Mohammed Gabcha, Imam Salman Aboki A. Ankpa, Bishop Buba Lammido Wusasa, Rev. Kalla Abari and Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, the Emir of Ilorin.

    The rest are: Alhaji Zaiyanu Abdullahi, the Emir of Yauri, Dr. Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, the Lamido of Adamawa, Nde Joshua Y. Dimlong Ngolong Ngas, Dr. Kole Shettima, MacArthur Foundation, Nigeria, Dr. Shettima Ali, Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation, Mrs. Aisha Oyebode Murtala Mohammed Foundation; Dr. [Mrs.] Nguyan Feese ESSPIN, Nigeria; Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi WRAPA, Abuja; and Sister Kathleen McGarvey Inter-Faith Council, Kaduna.

    Sources said the panel gave an insight into underground moves in the last six months to appease Boko Haram.

    The sources quoted part of the report as follows: “In line with the terms of reference that empowers the Committee on Reconciliation, Healing, and Security to “Dialogue with any identified groups with a view to negotiating the way out of the menace” in the north, that the committee constituted a Sub-Committee that embarked on a visitation to Borno and Yobe states in December 2012 and again in February 2013.

    “During the second visit, which was as a result of an opening for negotiation with members of the sect, Jama’atul-Ahlil Sunnah Lil Da’awati Wal Jihad(Boko Haram), the committee met and had discussions with the Governor of Borno State and Borno Elders Forum. The Committee also visited Yobe State and met with the governor who was ably represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and also had an interactive session with a cross-section of stakeholders in Damaturu.

    “In Maiduguri, the Committee was able to meet with some people strongly believed to be members of the sect and had very useful discussions with them, which culminated into the offer for ceasefire and subsequent press briefing by the leader, which has given rise to the confidence building that culminated in the visitation by the Chief of Defence Staff and other security chiefs, the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and 10 All Progressive Congress (APC) Governors.

    “The meeting was held at the Government House Maiduguri where useful and important critical issues were discussed and at the end, they vowed to cease hostilities and are prepared to surrender themselves and their weapons.

    “They also dissociated themselves from other criminal groups who perpetrate all sorts of atrocities in the name of Boko Haram for various selfish reasons and promised to assist authorities in fishing out all such perpetrators of criminal acts.

    “Having agreed to cease hostilities, they also made certain demands:

    (a) That all detainees against whom a case of criminal involvement is established should be prosecuted by courts of competent jurisdiction. Conversely, all those against whom there is no evidence of criminal involvement should be released unconditionally.

    (b) an area should be designated for all combatants to voluntarily surrender themselves and their weapons without fear of harassment or molestation.

    “This committee should arrange for further visits to Borno and Yobe states to meet with this group and other groups that have now indicated their willingness to come into the peace process. Accordingly, these discussions should be in conjunction with the governments and the Elders Forum of each of the states.

    “This committee recommends that the President visit Borno, Yobe and Kano states and should meet not only governments of these states but also with a cross-section of the elders of the various communities.

    “Consequently, the Committee makes the following recommendations: (i)The President should declare a general and unconditional amnesty;(ii) He should order the immediate release of all detainees against whom there is no established case of criminal involvement, and the immediate prosecution of those against whom there is evidence of criminal involvement before courts of competent jurisdictions; (iii)The protracted court case against the suspected killers of Mohammed Yusuf should be brought to a quick determination; (iv) The Federal Government should consider not only the rehabilitation of combatants but also compensation for those who have suffered in one way or the other during this unfortunate period of our nation’s history as a sign of goodwill and national cohesion; and (v) Some of the Northern Governors should accompany the President on his visit to the states.”

    There were indications last night that Northern governors were working round the clock to ensure a hitch-free trip for Jonathan to Borno and Yobe states.

    A source in the NSGF, who spoke last night, said: “Northern governors are trying their best to ensure that the President’s twin-visit to Borno and Yobe is without any hiccup. The governors have shown keen interest because it is the blueprint prepared by its 41-man committee that the Federal Government is working on.

    “In fact the Northern States Governors Forum Security Committee was the first government team to visit the troubled states.

    “The Security Committee was in Borno and Yobe states in December 2012 two clear months before the visit of the ten governors of the APC while another visit took place in February.”

  • Sultan wants total amnesty for Boko Haram members

    Sultan wants total amnesty for Boko Haram members

    The Sultan has advised President Goodluck Jonathan to grant amnesty to repentant Boko Haram militants.

    Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who is the President General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and leader of Nigerian Muslims, spoke at the Central Council meeting of the JNI in Kaduna yesterday.

    To him, total amnesty for Boko Haram members will end the insecurity in the North.

    In the Sultan’s view, should the government embrace any member of the group who denounces terrorism, other members will have the confidence to come out and embrace peace.

    He said: “We have been hearing about terrorism everywhere every day. I want to use this opportunity to say that we have heard in the news that Mr. President will be visiting Maiduguri in a couple of days.

    “We want to use this opportunity to call on the government, especially Mr. President, to see how he can declare total amnesty for all combatants without thinking twice. That will make any other person who picks up arms to be termed as a criminal.

    “If the amnesty is declared, majority of those young men who have been running would come out and embrace that amnesty and I believe that some of them have already come out because we have heard some of the stories in the newspapers.

    “Even if it is one person and he denounces terrorism, it is the duty of government to accept that one person and see how he can be used to reach others. Whether it is true or not, the government should accept that person first, evaluate him and see whether he is genuine or fake.”

    The Sultan denounced critics of northern leaders, who accuse them of doing nothing to address the problems of the North. He said: “People have been saying we are not doing anything as leaders in the North. We have done a lot and I want to commend all of you for what you have been doing and we will continue to do so, despite criticism.

    “We will continue to call on the government to be just in whatever they do because the bottom line of the problem facing us has been injustice being meted out to the people. By the grace of God, we will continue talking to government.”

    He added: “We are facing a lot of challenges in this country and as Muslims, we owe it as a duty to ensure that we contribute positively to peace and stability in this country.

    “We have been talking and will continue talking. We will not get tired of talking until the almighty Allah takes us away. We believe that it is only when we talk and dialogue that issues will become clearer. I believe we are all patriotic and love ourselves and our neighbour as the Almighty Allah said.

    “As Muslim leaders, we are very concerned and very worried about the way things are going, especially the issue of insecurity in this country. We have problem in the North, we have problem in the Southeast, in the Southwest and in the Southsouth and it remains the duty of government to protect all of us.

    “Ours is to advise and we will continue advising the government. If they do what they are supposed to do, that would be fine.

    “What happened in Wukari a few days ago is total madness and beyond comprehension. How can a football match among youths turn out like this where the major victims were Muslims and have been living together for centuries?”

    Kaduna State Governor Mukthar Yero urged traditional and Islamic leaders to always preach to their followers on the need for peaceful co-existence with adherents of other religions.

    Yero advised religious leaders to place great emphasis on providing sound and functional Western and Islamic education for children of the North, pointing out that it is because of this that the government is soliciting their support in making the Almajiri formal system of education a reality.

    He said: “We cannot afford to let our children wallow in ignorance and poverty while the rest of the world is making ground-breaking innovations in science and technology. There must be deliberate efforts to restore good home values for good moral upbringing of our children.

    “In that regard, we intend to provide our children with quality education to enable them develop into productive members of the society. We are also working hard to create the enabling environment for investors to come and build industries in the State which will provide job opportunities for our teeming unemployed youths.

     

  • Sultan seeks total amnesty for Boko Haram members

    Sultan seeks total amnesty for Boko Haram members

    President General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar said on Tuesday that the government should grant an unconditional and total amnesty to members of the Boko Haram sect as a way of bringing an end to the current insecurity in the country.

    The Sultan, who spoke at the Central Council meeting of the JNI in Kaduna said the government should embrace any member of Boko Haram that has come out to denounce terrorism as such move will give members of the group the confidence to come out and embrace peace.

    The Sultan said, “We have been hearing about terrorism everywhere and everyday. I want to use this opportunity to say that we have heard in the news that Mr. President will be visiting Maiduguri in a couple of days.

    “We want to use this opportunity to call on the government especially Mr. President to see how he can declare total amnesty to all combatants without thinking twice, that will make any other person who picks up arms to be termed as a criminal.

    “If the amnesty is declared, majority of those young men who have been running would come out and embrace that amnesty and I believe that some of them have already come out because we have heard some of the stories in the papers.

    “Even if it is one person and he denounces terrorism, it is the duty of government to accept that one person and see how he can be used to reach others. Whether it is true or not, the government should accept that person first, evaluate him and see whether he is genuine or fake.”

    He denounced those criticising northern leaders, accusing them of doing nothing to address the problems in the north saying, “people have been saying we are not doing anything as leaders in the north. We have done a lot more than what any other person have done and I want to commend all of you for what you have been doing and we will continue to do so despite the criticism.

    “We will continue to call on the government to be just in whatever they do because the bottom line of the problem facing us has been injustice meted out to the people. By the grace of God, we will continue talking to government.

    “We are facing a lot of challenges in this country and as Muslims, we own it as a duty to ensure that we contribute positively to peace and stability in this country.

    “We have been talking and will continue talking. We will not get tired of talking until the Almighty Allah takes us away. We believe that it is only when we talk and dialogue that issue will become clearer. I believe we are all patriotic and love ourselves and our neighbor as the Almighty Allah said.”

     

  • Ilaje youths deserve fruits of amnesty

    Ilaje youths deserve fruits of amnesty

    SIR: Ilaje land is an oil producing area of Ondo State. There are three kingdoms: the Ugbo, Mahin and Aheri/Etikan. As an oil producing area, the youths have been left unemployed due to the hazards caused by the oil exploitation and exploration in which both fishing and farming businesses have become a thing of the past.

    The federal as well as the state government have done their bits by considering the interests of the people especially by providing some jobs for the youths.

    However, it has become a nightmare as the leaders in the said areas have not been allowing the youths to taste the dividend of democracy as per the allotted jobs.

    The most recent is the issue of security of pipelines which came from the federal government. More than 5,000 jobs were allotted to Ilaje land but these were hijacked by our leaders who are in the corridors of power. They gave recognition only to militant groups – those who once carried arms against the government but ignored other groups. Amongst the latter group is Mahin coastal youth which was registered for the interest of the youths in Mahin Kingdom.

    Our worry is that the leaders are benefiting in quite a number of ways; so also the militant groups who are the sole beneficiaries of Amnesty Programme. We are confronted with questions such as; must youths be rebels before they could be heard? Must those who benefit from amnesty be allowed to hold the other youths down? Why should the group alone enjoy the benefits?

    Our dear President, the time has come to intervene in this matter so that peace can reign in Ilaje land of Ondo State.

    • Ebuteiwa Vincent&Egbukuyomi Segun

    Ilaje Land

     

  • Amnesty: Rumblings in the creeks

    Amnesty: Rumblings in the creeks

    In spite of the introduction of the Amnesty Programme for ex-militants in the Niger Delta, there are still challenges facing the scheme. In this piece, Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation, examines the never -ending programme

    When on June 25, 2009, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua invoked Section 175 of the constitution to proclaim amnesty for militants in the Niger Delta, he had proposed to bring “enduring peace, security, stability, and development to our nation’s Niger Delta.” The ex-President was also specific on the tenor of the amnesty programme by giving a deadline of between August 6 and October 4, 2009 to all militants in the creeks to renounce violence, surrender their weapons and accept the offer.

    He had said: “It is my fervent hope that all militants in the Niger Delta will take advantage of this amnesty and come out to join in the quest for the transformation of our dear nation. The offer of amnesty is open to all militants for a period of 60 days.”

    But almost four years into the proclamation and with the consequent return of peace to the Niger Delta as manifested in the increase in oil output from 700,000 bpd to 2.4 /2.6m bpd, the list of ex-militants keeps on growing. According to findings, more ex-militants have surrendered after restoration of peace to the region than during the militancy period which made Yar’Adua to take a courageous step to introduce the Amnesty Programme. At present, the enlistment figure has risen to 30,000 ex-militants including the 3,642 disarmed Niger Delta ex-agitators who President Goodluck Jonathan granted a waiver in December 2012 to be integrated into the Amnesty Programme. The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Kingsley Kuku said: “At the expiration of the 60-day grace period on October 4, 2009, a total of 20,192 Niger Delta ex-agitators had surrendered large number of arms and ammunition to the federal government and accepted the offer of amnesty. Another 6, 166 persons were added in November, constituting a second phase of the programme and bringing the number of the persons enlisted in the Presidential Amnesty Programme to 26,358.” Those in the third phase are about 3,642.

    The gains of the amnesty scheme

    At a recent briefing, Kuku gave a comprehensive brief on how the Amnesty Programme had been managed so far. He said: “The mandate of the Presidential Amnesty Office which is domiciled in the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Kingsley Kuku, is three-pronged: Disarm, Demobilize and Reintegrate into civil society, the 30,000 former Niger Delta agitators enrolled in the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

    “Pursuant to this mandate, the Amnesty Office has since achieved the disarmament and demobilization of the 26,358 ex-agitators enrolled in the first and second phases of the Amnesty Programme. The Demobilization exercise which was carried out in Obubra in Cross River State, entailed biometric documentation, wellness check, nonviolence transformational training, series of counselling and career classification for the ex-agitators.”

    He listed some of the gains as “one of the few countries in the world that achieved a successful closure to the Disarmament and Demobilization phases of its DDR Programme. For your information, virtually all the 24 United Nations-piloted DDR interventions in Africa since 1992 are still battling to achieve full demobilization even with huge financial and technical assistance from the United Nations and several other international partners.” Some of the nations still battling to exit the Demobilization phase of their DDR programmes include Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Kuku agreed that the most critical aspect of the DDR scheme is the reintegration and re-insertion of the demobilized ex-agitators into civil society. However, Nigeria has crossed this Rubicon through the rehabilitation of 13,747 already demobilized ex-agitators in either formal education or skill acquisition centres both within the country and offshore. So far 8,372 Amnesty Programme’s delegates have since completed their training and a number of them are now gainfully employed.

    Savings for the nation

    Kuku also spoke on how the Amnesty Programme had attracted savings for the nation. He said in 2012 alone, about N6.3trillion was saved. He added: “To further underscore the fact that the proclamation of amnesty for former agitators in the Niger Delta as well as the successful management of the post-amnesty programme saved the economy of the nation from a looming collapse, kindly note that with Nigeria producing 2.6 million barrels of crude oil per day as against the abysmally low 700,000 barrels per day at the peak of the Niger Delta crisis in January 2009, Nigeria and its Joint Venture Partners are currently making production savings of about two million barrels per day. If you compute these savings with prevailing exchange rate of N160 to $1, daily production savings for Nigeria and its JV Partners currently stand at N33.4 Billion per day. If you break this down further especially given that oil production in Nigeria hovered between 2.4 and 2.6 barrels for all of 2012, you would discover that savings for Nigeria and the Joint Venture partners for year ending 2012 is estimated to be at about N6.3 trillion.

    “Conversely, but for the Amnesty Proclamation and the successful management of the post-Amnesty Programme by His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria and its Joint Venture Partners would have lost by year ending 2012, the staggering sum of N6.3 trillion or much more.”

    What the scheme has not stopped

    In spite of the Amnesty Programme, illegal oil bunkering is still prevalent in the Niger Delta leading to loss of revenue. In 2012, the Nigerian Army’s Joint Taskforce (JTF) on illegal oil bunkering said 4, 349 illegal refineries were destroyed, 1 945 suspects arrested and18 vessels seized under Operation Pulo Shield

    The JTF commander, Major-General Johnson Ochoga expressed shock at the high number of foreigners involved in piracy, oil bunkering, illegal fishing, arms smuggling and other maritime crimes. He gave the list as 60 foreigners – 21 from Ghana, 10 from India, 15 from Russia, some Lebanese and a few from Asian and European countries. He said: “JTF conducted 7, 585 illegal bunkering patrols along the creeks of the Niger Delta in 2012 and destroyed 133 barges, 1, 215 Cotonou boats, 187 tanker trucks, 178 illegal fuel dumps and five surface oil tanks; 36, 504 drums of illegally refined oil products; 638 illegal pumping machines and 326 outboard engines used to power boats used by oil bunkerers and pirates.

    The arrest of foreigners has also shown that illegal oil bunkering is not restricted to the Niger Delta militants, it involves a wide ring of foreign collaborators. According to the JTF commander, “The arrest of 21 Ghanaians and their five Nigerian collaborators, as well as the destruction of two vessels containing 1,300 tonnes of crude oil, is an indicator that there is a noticeable involvement of foreigners in illegal bunkering in the region. Another instance is the recent arrest of 10 suspects of Indian nationality and four Nigerians on board MT Ashkay. This has brought to the fore, the need to monitor foreigners more closely in the region.” Besides River Nun in Bayelsa, illegal refineries are located in some creeks of the Dababilebu, Akitogbo, Adiloseimo, Obontonu and Akina-Zion communities. Other notorious areas are Akassa and Elekpa in Brass Local Government of Bayelsa State, and Egbekebor and Gbelekumor communities in Delta State where over 500 illegal refineries were destroyed.

    Why the numberof ex-militants keep increasing

    Although 2015 is being proposed to end the Amnesty Programme, it might not be realistic in view of the fact that more “ex-militants” are emerging from the creeks. There are fears that oil pollution victims, unemployed graduates, and those who have chosen to be idle in the region are cashing on the spur of the moment to force the government to enlist them into the programme. Another dimension to the programme is the likelihood of some “smart” public officers taking advantage of the situation.

    Kuku, however, gave in-depth insight into the challenge of enlistment confronting the office. He said: “Like was mentioned earlier, the mandate given the Amnesty Office by the Federal Government of Nigeria is to disarm, demobilize and reintegrate into civil society, a specific number of former agitators in the Niger Delta who accepted the offer of amnesty and got enlisted in the post-Amnesty Programme. At the expiration of the deadline set by the federal government for the acceptance of the offer and the surrendering of arms, which was October 4th 2009, 20,192 disarmed ex-agitators were enlisted in the programme.

    “However government eventually realized that several of the ex-agitators who accepted the offer of the amnesty and disarmed were not enlisted for the simple reason that they did not make themselves available for enlistment. They surrendered their arms through their leaders but hid from the men of the Armed Forces who were charged with the task of disarming and documenting them. Given their well-known less than palatable history with the Nigerian military, many of these youths were sceptical about the exact intentions of the federal government. Some even feared that the general idea was to round all of them up and arrest or even kill them. So, several of them who surrendered their arms and accepted the offer of amnesty through their leaders were not truly enlisted at the expiration date of October 4th, 2009.

    However, now that some of them have realised that the government is serious they are now eager to join the amnesty train.

    Has the programme been infiltrated

    A document made available by the Amnesty Office confirmed that some people who are not militants had been trying to hijack the amnesty scheme. In the document, Kuku said: “Now, there is a problem. We are currently facing a situation where every unemployed, uneducated or un-empowered youth in the states in the Niger Delta believes that his only ticket to a better future is the Amnesty Programme. This should not and must not be. The Amnesty Programme was designed for a specific number and category of persons.

    For the past two years we have in press conferences and statements as well as in several meetings with critical stakeholders been making this point: that the Amnesty Programme cannot be for all unemployed, untrained and un-empowered youths in the Niger Delta. I regret to inform you that we have not succeeded in dissuading thousands of hapless Niger Delta youths from agitating for inclusion in the Amnesty Programme.”

    He added that those shut out of the scheme began to mount protests and block highways to be noticed, ” We took several stringent measures including arrests and detentions to stop these agitations and the agitators but we did not succeed in shutting out these persons. Matters were clearly made worse by the military and security formations, particularly the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, who severally accepted arms from these persons and promised them inclusion in the Amnesty Programme.”

    Ex-militants blame scheme administrators

    On February 12, a group of ex-militants led by Great Godwin Anuke however blamed Kuku and his officials for adopting different methods or benchmarks in demobilizing and reintegrating them. Anuke in Warri said: “You will recall that back in June, 2009, the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua granted amnesty to the Niger Delta militants in what had become known as the first phase of the amnesty programme. On the road to the successful laying down of arms by ex- militants; the amnesty programme which should have ended on October 4, 2009 was extended to what is being called second and third phase.

    Sequence to the third phase, under phase l and ll slots were slotted according to arms – one gun to two slots.

    “However the unthinkable and injustice is now the case with the third phase – twenty guns to one slot or two slots. We, the former militants who have been mobilized during the extended phases of the amnesty project after surrendering our weapons are miffed that a different arrangement is being used for us.

    “We are aware that the National Assembly had approved billions of naira as compensation to ex militants having surrendered their arms and ammunition to the federal government.”

    They called on the president to ask Kuku to run the scheme with fairness to all. “What can be deduced from the third phase of the amnesty programme is that it has been hijacked. We feel cheated that this regime lacks the gut and courage to tackle this baffling situation, this leaves room for several speculations, the most realistic of which is the assumption that perhaps the regime is unwilling and incapable of fighting corruption with vigour because as a regime, it is entangled and enmeshed in the web of the corruption that is undermining the very foundation of nationhood.”

    When will the amnesty scheme end?

    None in the Amnesty Office could say exactly when the programme will wind up. Kuku who made a pronouncement of a 2015 tentative date at a briefing in Abuja was quick to add that it is not sacrosanct. With the 2015 poll approaching and the desire of President Goodluck Jonathan to seek re-election, the amnesty programme is a campaign selling point which the president might exploit for political mileage.

    The ex-militants could also be willing tools to mobilize support for their kinsman. Therefore, the amnesty programme is still politically expedient for the presidency.