The members of the Northern Economic Summit have backed President as they group said that there is no amnesty to the Boko Haram Group who in absentia. According to the group it said that the members of the Boko Haram must be identified before Amnesty could be granted to them.
While speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the leader of the group, Prof. Jerry Gana, said that “Amnesty is possible; it can be given. But the members of the sect must come out of hiding and renounce violence. They must come out to discuss with the government. If this is done, government can be convinced to give amnesty. Amnesty cannot be given in absentia.”
“Let there be genuine dialogue; let there be honesty between the group and the government. When this is done, we can achieve peace.”
Speaking further Proofessor Gana said that in as much as the security and welfare of the people remain the main purpose of government, both the Federal and State Governments must pay greater attention to the resolution of security challenges facing the north; “The offers being made for a peaceful resolution through dialogue and amnesty should be taken seriously by the government. However, for the proposed dialogue sessions to produce concrete results, trustworthy elders must take bold steps to bring both sides together.”
“As was the case in the resolution of the Niger Delta crisis, we urge trustworthy elders to initiate reliable contacts with leaders of militant groups in the north with a view to achieving peace conference and negotiations with government. In the interest of generations yet unborn, the time for peace is now. So help us God,” Prof Gana said.
He also gave a progress report on actions taken by the Federal Government on economic development issues raised at the first Economic Summit, which was held in 2911 in Kaduna.
