Jonathan didn’t promise amnesty for Boko Haram – Presidency The Presidency on Saturday said there was nowhere in his speech on Democracy Day that President Goodluck Jonaathan declared amnesty for members of the Boko Haram sect. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said this while addressing State House correspondents. Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Boni Haruna, had on Thursday said Jonathan has announced amnesty for members of the Boko Haram sect as parts of his administration’s youths-friendly programmes and policies. While giving an overview of youth’s position in the present administration’s transformation agenda at a special event tagged “A day with young leaders of Nigeria” to mark the nation’s Democracy Day in Abuja, the minister said series of integration programmes have been lined up for members of the sect who would surrender their arms and embrace peace. But Abati said the President did not use any word like amnesty. He said what Jonathan said was that opportunity had been created for those who want to denounce terrorism through the Presidential Fact-Finding Committee and Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolutions of Conflict in the North Eastern part of Nigeria. The presidential spokesman said, “Let me refer you to the speech by the President. If you read the speech line-by-line, you will see that it contains the very message that the President wanted to put across. “In that speech, if you look at it, I don’t think the President used amnesty, instead he spoke about those who are willing to renounce terrorism and those who are willing to embrace peace. “Opportunities have been created for them through the fact-finding committee and through the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolutions of Conflict in the North Eastern part of Nigeria. So I will refer you basically to the speech by the President.” Abati said the President was sad when he heard about the Friday killing of the Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idrisa Timta, who was one of the three emirs ambushed by members of the sect on Biu-Azare-Garkida Road in Borno State. He said the incident had further portrayed the insurgents as people who are desperately threatening the peace and stability of the country. He however reiterated Jonathan’s position that he would not rest until the days of peace are restored in the country.
Posted on: Sat, 31 May 2014 22:46:50 +0000
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