Jonathan declares amnesty for Boko Haram

President Goodluck Jonathan has declared amnesty for members of the Boko Haram sect as part of his administration’s youths-friendly programmes and policies.

Boni Haruna, minister of youth development, revealed this on Thursday while giving an overview of youths’ 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 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

President Goodluck Jonathan also attended the event.

The minister said series of integration programmes have been lined up for members of the sect who would surrender their arms and embrace peace.

He, therefore, called on them to embrace government’s policies and embrace peace.

“Let me use this opportunity on behalf of the Federal Government to call on the members of the Boko Haram sect to embrace the government’s gesture and key into the amnesty programme.”

He recalled that in the wake of youth restiveness in the Niger Delta, the government came up with a development programme which provided an opportunity for the youths to express themselves and have a meaningful life.

Haruna said although the amnesty programme was a fallout of a bitter national security, its effect on the youths had been profound.

He disclosed that 30,000 youths have benefitted from the programme which has seen beneficiaries transforming from militants to wealth creators, employers of labour and skilled citizens.

Jonathan, while answering questions from youths who attended the programme, said military alone was incapable of stopping terrorism or any kind of radicalism.

He said terrorism could not succeed in any community without local support.

He stressed the need for people who are respected by the insurgents to join hands with government to persuade them to desist.

The president said, “Terror succeeds with local support. It will be difficult for terror to thrive where people reject it. It is a major challenge to all of us.

“Military alone cannot stop terror or any radicalism. Terrorists have people they respect, they have community, traditional and opinion leaders they respect. All of us can deradicalise them.

“We will through persuasive activities encourage people to shun violence.”

He said his government was already working out the modalities for reintroducing moral education into school curriculum.

This, he said, would assist in re-orientation of the young people in order to distinguish between right and wrong things.

Jonathan promised that his administration would continue to encourage young people because they are no longer leaders of tomorrow but of today.

He said youths are already leading because they decide who rules at all levels of government by virtue of their population which he put at

60 percent of the electorate.

The president also reiterated his position that the nation’s income distribution was skewed.

While saying that government was working hard to redistribute wealth, he added that one of the emphasis of the government is to encourage self-employment.

Meanwhile, Jonathan had earlier in the day in his Democracy Day broadcast vowed to wage a “total war” against Boko Haram.

Speaking on the 15th anniversary of the end of military rule, he said “international terrorism” threatened Nigeria’s democratic gains.

However, in his speech, he promised to pursue “all options” to end the insurgency, saying that the doors of his government were open to dialogue.

He also spoke about “deradicalisation, rehabilitation and re-integration into the broader society.”

Boko Haram has waged an increasingly bloody insurgency since 2009.

Only on Wednesday, the Islamist sect killed 42 people during a raid on Gurmushi village in Borno, a survivor said.

The survivor said villagers were shot and hacked to death, and many homes were torched.

The group is still holding more than 200 schoolgirls captive since last month, demanding a prisoner swap.

“With the support of Nigerians, our neighbours and the international community, we will reinforce our defence, free our girls and rid Nigeria of terrorists,” Jonathan said, in the speech to mark Democracy Day.

He added that he was determined to protect Nigeria’s democracy.