Goodluck Constitutes Panel On Boko Haram Amnesty

Another major step was taken yesterday on the plan to give Boko Haram members amnesty. President Goodluck Jonathan constituted a 26-man committee for dialogue with the sect.

The panel, comprising eminent a political Northern leaders, is to develop a framework with which amnesty will take place.

The Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North is headed by Minister of Special Duties Kabiru Tanimu Turaki as chairman.

The committee is expected to design the framework under which disarmament could take place within 60 days.

On the committee are a respected cleric, Sheikh Lemu, the facilitator of the collapsed peace talks with Boko Haram, Comrade Shehu Sani, who rejected the offer last night, the cleric who tried to bring Boko Haram leaders to the peace table, Dr. Datti Ahmed; a former Secretary of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed and Sheikh Abubakar Tureta. There are, also, a woman activist, Hajiya Naja’atu Mohammed; a former Minister of External (Foreign) Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi; Northern States Governors’ Forum’s (NSGF’s) Committee on Reconciliation, Healing and Security, Amb. Zakari Ibrahim; and a former Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Prof. Nur Alkali.

Others are: Col. Musa Shehu, (rtd.) ;Senator Sodangi Abubakar ;Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Hon. Mohammed Bello Matawalle, Malam Adamu S. Ladan, Dr. Joseph Golwa, AVM A. I. Shehu, Mr. R. I. Nkemdirim, DIG P. I. Leha, Malam Salihu Abubakar, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Lugga, Mr. Ibrahim Tahir, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Sabo, Amb. Baba Ahmed Jidda, Group Capt. Bilal Bulama (rtd.) and a representative of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), who will be Secretary to the committee.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, also said the President has set up a 17-man Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons.

The statement said: “Following the consideration yesterday by the National Security Council of the report of the technical committee it set up to review fresh modalities for addressing security challenges in the North, President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the constitution of a Presidential Committee to constructively engage key members of Boko Haram and define a comprehensive and workable framework for resolving the crisis of insecurity in the country.

“The Committee’s terms of reference will include: developing a framework for the granting of amnesty; setting up of a framework through which disarmament could take place within a 60-day time frame; the development of a comprehensive victims’ support programme, and the development of mechanisms to address the underlying causes of insurgencies that will help to prevent future occurrences.

“President Jonathan has also approved the constitution of a Federal Government committee on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in keeping with his pledge that Nigeria will work with the United Nations and other countries to stem the worrisome proliferation of small arms and light weapons, and their use in creating insecurity and instability in Nigeria and other developing nations.”

The 17-man Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons is as follows Amb. Emmanuel Imohe (Chairman); Amb. Martin I. Uhomoibhi; Amb. T. Dan Hart; Amb. Ghali Umar; Amb. B. G. Wakil; Mr. Opelusi Olureti; Representative of Ministry of Interior; Representative of NSA; Representative of DG (SSS); Representative of NIA; Representative of Federal Ministry of Justice; Representative of Ministry of Defence; Representative of DIA; Representative of the Nigeria Police Force; Representative of the Nigerian Customs Service; Representative of OSGF; Director, International Organisations Dept (MFA) – Secretary.