FG Recants, Mulls ‘Amnesty’ for Boko Haram

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday set up an amnesty committee to fine- tune details of clemency to Boko Haram sect members.

This is a major departure from Jonathan’s earlier stand that his government will not extend such cloak of grace to members of the group, he claimed are “faceless”

The consideration of amnesty for the deadly sect is said to have upset military chiefs in the country who tried in vain convince the President  not to fall into the trap that has been set for him by prominent northern leaders on the issue.

Rising from an emergency National Security Council (NSC) meeting where the possibility of granting amnesty to Boko Haram insurgents was discussed, the President however, soft-pedaled and set up a committee on the feasibility and modalities to be adopted to grant pardon to members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

A source at a security meeting held at the Presidential Villa, said members of the committee will work closely with the office of the National Security Adviser and is expected to submit its report to the president in two weeks.

The NSC meeting followed an earlier parley on Wednesday between the President and leadership of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) at the State House, Abuja.

Ango Abdullahi,  chieftain of NEF, disclosed after Wednesday’s meeting with the President that government was contemplating options open to it on the issue.

“I’m sure something substantial will come out of this meeting,” Abdullahi told newsmen.

Sources said Wednesday’s meeting between the President and the NEF was a follow-up to a similar one in May 2012 during which the Northern group submitted a memorandum which the President promised to study and invite them back for further discussion on the issues raised.

Thursday’s NSC meeting had in attendance Muhammed Abubakar, inspector general (IG) of Police, Sambo Dasuki, National Security Adviser (NSA), and the Service Chiefs, among others.

Meanwhile, military chiefs were to have warned the President that the security implications of the action may be grave and that could also be interpreted to mean that the President is not a man of his word.  

Jonathan has flip-flopped on federal policy against Boko Haram since he took office in 2010.

Sahara Reporters,  an online community of international reporters and social advocates, reported that the military bosses reminded him of his words when he visited Borno State a few weeks ago when he said that there was no way he would grant amnesty to ghosts, stressing that nothing has changed.

Jonathan once said there were members of Boko Haram in his government, but it is not clear if they are still ghosts or he has identified them.

He was also said to have been reminded that many of their men and other security officers have been indiscriminately killed, warning him that telling the rank and file the decision on amnesty could ignite anger in the barracks.

At the end of the lengthy discussion, which lasted for five hours, the President had his way against the genuine advice of the military chiefs, except one.  He set up a committee to handle the issue of amnesty.