A few weeks ago, the Sultan of Sokoto and leader of the Islamic faithful in Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad 111, called on the Federal Government to grant amnesty to members of the fundamentalist Islamic sect, Boko Haram, as a veritable means of restoring peace and checking the mindless killings, through senseless bombings and destruction of valuable properties in the country, especially in the North.

While advocating a re-think by government on the issue to save the economy of the North from imminent collapse, the Sultan said that amnesty for Boko Haram was the only option available to check the spiralling orgy of violence in the land.

Although the Sultan’s call was a complete departure from his earlier stance on the sect’s despilable modus operandi, the groundswell of support for amnesty for Boko Haram, especially from among northern leaders and activists, has continued to mount with a likely harsh judgement on the Jonathan Presidency should it turn deaf ear to the calls.

Even so, many Nigerians, particularly the millions of peace-loving Christians, under the aegis of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), remain critically opposed to any attempt to grant amnesty to persons who remain unrepentant in campaigns to impose a single religion in the land. In fact, rather than abate, the murderous atrocities and negative impact of Boko Haram terror activities have increased in leaps and bounds, decimating the very fundamentals of our existence as a federation. More worrisome is the fact that the sect’s ideology and aims still seem farce, abstract and unintelligibly articulated on the tripod of: Islamising Nigeria and institutionalising Sharia as a form of government in place of a secular society governed by democratically formulated constitutional laws and government; and abolishing western education and in its place, implementing an education policy based on Sharia and Islamic religious culture.

In spite of all these, the Federal Government had, on several occasions, expressed the willingness to dialogue with the group, if its leadership would be willing to unmask, pronounce ceasefire and return to the negotiating table. As a government that has shown commitment to promoting peace and security of its citizens, the Jonathan Administration, we think, had shown, through its actions and utterances, that it had the political will and good heart to forgive, and graciously create a platform that could reintegrate the aggrieved armed insurgents in the North into the Nigerian Project.

We recall a time when the Jihadist fighters named some prominent northern leaders, including former military Head of State, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, among others, to lead their team of negotiators with government, and suggested Saudi Arabia as preferred venue for the dialogue but has yet to hold because, all on the Boko Haram side failed to keep a date with government to resolve the challenge.

Only penultimate Thursday, following pressure from northern leaders, President Jonathan set up a committee to, among others, consider the propriety or otherwise of granting amnesty to the violent sect; collate requests arising from the different groups asking Federal Government for amnesty for Boko Haram; and recommend modalities for granting amnesty in case it becomes imperative, with a mandate to complete their work in two weeks. But barely 48 hours later, the sect allegedly said it was not accepting any amnesty offer from the Federal Government, saying it did not recognise the Nigerian government.

While The Tide is not particularly against any measure by the Federal Government or any of its agencies or institutions to usher in enduring peace and security in the nation, including considering amnesty to Boko Haram since its members are also bonafide Nigerians, we strongly hold that ceasefire and true repentance should precede forgiveness, pardon or amnesty from the government.

Besides, Boko Haram still remains clandestine in outlook, and neck deep in a covert warfare of annihilation, ethnic cleansing and genocide. And to propose amnesty to such a faceless flock, still indoctrinated in the principle that every human action must be guided by the dictates of Islamic hegemony, and view people of other faiths as animals and enemies that must be crushed and exterminated is to submit to eternal reign of insecurity, terror, anarchy and more deaths.

Boko Haram has neither requested for amnesty nor indicated its willingness to enter into any meaningful dialogue with either the federal or specific state governments within their areas of operation. In fact, the sect has not shown any intention to negotiate its belief and mission in Nigeria, and has also not seen Nigerians of other religions as brothers and sisters, whom they should live with side-by-side in a federation under a democratic government.

This is why we see the campaign for amnesty by some northern leaders as diversionary, unpatriotic and selfish. We expect such advocates to intervene and seek possible ways of proffering solutions, rather than remain busy in defence of evil by alluding to lack of jobs, poverty, ignorance and corruption as the main triggers of the conflagration. We expect the elite, religious leaders, and indeed, the political class in the North to step out and help identify the leaders of Boko Haram, and persuade them to ceasefire and enter into meaningful dialogue with government as a means of resolving the crisis.

Unless these are done, we oppose very strongely any attempt to negotiate and or grant amnesty to Boko Haram, because their activities cannot be likened to the Niger Delta struggle, and eventual amnesty now being peddled as soothing example. In the circumstance, therefore, we suggest that any repentant Boko Haram fighter should be encouraged to key into the many youth empowerment schemes of government, non-government organisations and corporate bodies to enable them fit into the wider Nigerian society.

Negotiating with or granting amnesty to Boko Haram can not be done in a vacuum. Governments are not run in such manner. Therefore, Boko Haram must be contained by any means possible. This is our stand!