Christian Association of Nigeria on Thursday said granting amnesty to Boko Haram members was akin to wasting taxpayers’ money.
The association, which said the exercise would fail also warned President Goodluck Jonathan to beware of some Muslim leaders and their few Christian allies, who “do not see anything wrong in Boko Haram members killing Christians”.
The President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, stated this on Thursday in Abuja after receiving ‘A True Servant of God’ award from the Christian Elders Forum of Northern States.
Ayo Oritsejafor, CAN President
He also canvassed the building of cattle ranches for Fulani herdsmen instead of allowing them to roam major cities across the country.
Oritsejafor, who could not hold back tears for the victims of Boko Haram insurgency, said the “arrogant and deriding manner with which the sect members dismissed the amnesty deal had reinforced our stance that its only interest is to eliminate Christians and enthrone an Islamic state in Nigeria”.
He said, “This is why we are again calling on President Goodluck Jonathan not to waste tax payers’ money on a futile exercise.
“He should review the amnesty deal for Boko Haram in view of the bravado by the sect leader, Mallam Shekau. Boko Haram is not only a local terrorist organisation, it has a ring of international connections. Do not waste time pampering the sect members because the amnesty deal will not work.
“Permit me to call on President Jonathan to beware of some Muslim leaders in the North and their very few Christian allies, who always go to him in droves to seek regional concessions with religious biases; people who do not see anything wrong in Boko Haram killing Christians but want amnesty for the murderous and blood-thirsty sect members.
“Amnesty plan is to divert the attention of reasonable Nigerians and the world from the cruelty of Boko Haram to Christians.”
Oritsejafor also urged the President to be cautious about the comments by some of leaders, especially since the attack on Baga by suspected military men.
Oritsejafor said, “He should beware of those who kept mute when Muhammadu Buhari and other Muslim leaders in the North said the country would be made ungovernable if President Jonathan became the president in 2011, but now want him to arrest Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo for repeating what they said earlier. Such hypocrisy should never be tolerated in a secular country like Nigeria.”
Noting that poverty was not the cause of Boko Haram insurgency, the CAN President said, “If we agree that poverty, injustice and inequality are the causes of the insurgency, a largely Islamic group, the question would be: are Muslims the poorest people, the most deprived?”
Source: PUNCH
