Jonathan did not promise amnesty for Boko Haram – Presidency

The Presidency on Saturday said there was
nowhere in his speech on Democracy Day that
President Goodluck Jonaathan declared
amnesty for members of the Boko Haram
sect.
Special Adviser to the President on Media
and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said this
while addressing State House correspondents.
Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Boni
Haruna, had on Thursday said Jonathan has
announced amnesty for members of the Boko
Haram sect as parts of his administration’s
youths-friendly programmes and policies.
While giving an overview of youth’s 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 in
Abuja, the minister said series of integration
programmes have been lined up for members
of the sect who would surrender their arms
and embrace peace.
But Abati said the President did not use any
word like amnesty.
He said what Jonathan said was that
opportunity had been created for those who
want to denounce terrorism through the
Presidential Fact-Finding Committee and
Presidential Committee on Dialogue and
Peaceful Resolutions of Conflict in the North
Eastern part of Nigeria.
The presidential spokesman said, “Let me
refer you to the speech by the President. If
you read the speech line-by-line, you will see
that it contains the very message that the
President wanted to put across.
“In that speech, if you look at it, I don’t think
the President used amnesty, instead he spoke
about those who are willing to renounce
terrorism and those who are willing to
embrace peace.
“Opportunities have been created for them
through the fact-finding committee and
through the Presidential Committee on
Dialogue and Peaceful Resolutions of Conflict
in the North Eastern part of Nigeria. So I will
refer you basically to the speech by the
President.”
Abati said the President was sad when he
heard about the Friday killing of the Emir of
Gwoza, Alhaji Idrisa Timta, who was one of
the three emirs ambushed by members of the
sect on Biu-Azare-Garkida Road in Borno
State.
He said the incident had further portrayed the
insurgents as people who are desperately
threatening the peace and stability of the
country.
He however reiterated Jonathan’s position
that he would not rest until the days of peace
are restored in the country.