9th April, 2013
EROMOSELE EBHOMELE
Ahead of the inauguration of the committee on amnesty for Boko Haram members by President Goodluck Jonathan, an Islamic group, Muslims Against Terror, has warned that granting such amnesty would plunge the country into more security crises.
It further said it was disturbed that the president could fall for the perpetrators of insecurity in the country by deciding to grant amnesty to Boko Haram despite warnings from the group and other well-meaning Nigerians.
The group, in a statement signed by Brother Isa Ibrahim, recalled that it had early this year sent a message to President Jonathan warning that the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, must be made to face the Shariah judgement for his role in the killing of innocent Nigerians.
It said encouraging amnesty at every given opportunity could turn the country to another Rwanda which had been ravaged by war.
“The so-called Northern Elders impressed it upon you to offer a so-called amnesty to this cult and you fell for it, Wallahi, you all are misled and can only be doing this for personal gain, to win elections and not for the peace and progress of Nigeria.
“You cannot do another wrong to attempt to repair the series of wrongs of Nigerian governance. A so-called amnesty for Boko Haram cult, JAMBS (Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis-Sudan) or any other terror group or affiliate is another dangerous wrong to compound a history of terrible wrongs and failures by your government and the governments before you that got us here in the first place,” the group warned President Jonathan, describing the mentality of throwing money at every problem to as solution to the problem as hopeless.
Reminding the president that he would be judged by his level of squandermania in the guise of fighting crime, the Muslims Against Terror noted that terrorism across the country was caused by the failure of governance.
The group warned further: “if you and the so-called northern elders continue such grave failure simply to win elections, by the grace of the Almighty, you will be surprised and shocked that, insha Allah, the people will rise against you this time, and no amount of money you pay for votes will allow any of you to remain in leadership, both as elected officials and as traditional leaders, because the blood of innocent Nigerians and your violation of the tenets of God as written in the Torah, the Bible and Quran, to mete out justice on the murderers of us masses, will bring your woe.”
Quoting various verses from the Bible and Quran to back their claim that whoever killed should himself be killed, the group said God’s message on justice for the oppressed was clear as this would help to discourage future perpetration of barbarism among men.
The group declared that the president could not just abandon the victims of the Boko Haram attacks simply because he wanted to gain political favour from the elites hoping also that such elites could help him win the next election.
“We have hunted Boko Haram. We put a reward on the head of Abubakar Shekau. Our brothers have died in the hunt for these cultists and our soldiers have died, innocent people have died.
“It is our right that justice must be meted upon these deviants according to Shariah.
“Boko Haram (members) themselves do not ask for amnesty, because they know that this is haram. So who is asking?” the group wondered, adding that it was sure those asking had a lot to hide just like the president trying to force the amnesty down the throats of the members who have rejected it.
“Who and what holy book gave them the right to shoot at and toss bombs at people playing cards? Is this the law of Shariah that people playing cards or drinking alcohol should be killed?
“Can they show us in Quran where it states that people giving immunization should be killed?” the group asked, warning that giving the terrorists any amnesty would constitute a disastrous precedence, where people believe they simply need to kill innocent people to get cash from the government.
It said that instead of amnesty, the government should consider a social welfare scheme for the people of the north because the entire area would hardly recover from the terrorist experience.
“Establish a social welfare, youth empowerment and employment system starting with the poorest northern extremes of Nigeria and spread this to the entire nation as is with social security in the United States, which cuts crime in these nations,” it said, warning that it would not forgive the president if the amnesty is granted. Amnesty To Boko Haram Is Double Haram.