Amnesty to Boko Haram is undemocratic – Usman Faruk

   Amnesty to Boko Haram is undemocratic – Usman Faruk

Former military governor of defunct North-Western state, Alhaji Usman Faruk, yesterday said the refusal of President Goodluck  Jonathan to grant amnesty to Boko Haram sect members as advised by Northern leaders is undemocratic.In an interview with our correspondent in Kaduna, the former governor said since democracy is government of the people, President Jonathan should consider the amnesty as advocated by the Northern leaders.

 

“All leaders have spoken on the need for amnesty for the Boko Haram sect as a way of returning peace to North. If an elected president does not take the wise advice of the people, then this is not democracy,” he said.He said he decided to support the calls for amnesty for the sect because it will make the group to ceasefire, thereby returning peace to the North.“Granting amnesty to the sect will make their leaders to come out and talk with the government on their grievances. The government on it part will have the opportunity to talk sense to the sect leaders. This is why we are stressing the importance of the amnesty, the only solution to Boko Haram is amnesty,” he said.

 

He said the activities of the Niger Delta militants were addressed during late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua when he announced and granted amnesty to the militants.“Federal Government did not only grant amnesty to Biafra soldiers but some of them were re-absorbed and we had peace at that time. What we need in the North is peace in order for us to return to the path of development,” he said.