Nigeria: Jonathan to Amnesty Committee - Perform Magic

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday gave the committee on Boko Haram amnesty three months to open talks with the sect as well as work out modalities for granting amnesty and for payment of compensation to victims of the insurgency.

Jonathan had until weeks ago rejected calls for amnesty to Boko Haram saying the sect members were "ghosts", but he capitulated after sustained pressure especially from Northern elders.

Speaking at the committee's inauguration in Abuja yesterday, the President hinted at the obvious difficulty of the assignment saying the panel is expected to wave the magic wand.

"All Nigerians are expecting this committee to perform magic and I pray that Allah should give you the wisdom to do so because without peace we cannot develop," he said.

"No matter how committed we are, without peace we cannot progress as a nation."
The Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North, headed by Special Duties Minister Kabiru Turaki, now has 25 members after two pulled out a new member appointed.


Within three months, Jonathan said, the committee is expected to establish link and open up dialogue with the Jama'atu Ahlis Sunnah Lid Da'awati Wal Jihad, develop a framework for disarmament, work out a sustainable option that could lead to granting amnesty and develop a comprehensive victims' support programme.

"As we're trying to address the issue of Boko Haram, we must also comprehensively address the issues directly affecting the people," he said on the compensation.

He urged the committee to come up with suggestions on how to address underlining causes of the crisis to forestall a similar security threat in the future.

"As a nation, we've passed through thick and thin; we've passed through difficult periods in our history, but we all agree the situation that Nigeria is facing today is quite different from other challenging periods we've passed through, and mainly, we're dedicated and committed to resolving this crisis," he said.

Jonathan explained that in composing the committee, members' antecedents, commitment to national service, dedication to duty and patriotic zeal were considered, adding that the government believed that they would be in a position to bring peace to the country