Amnesty: Perhaps Boko Haram’s Leaders Have Come out and Spoken
Apr. 1, 2013, Updated 10am
by Hamza Suleiman
NewsRescue- It’s all over the news — Boko Amnesty — give them or not.
The president of Nigeria, who I happen not to like and disagree with on most occasions, has for once, on the right side of history, clearly stated that if Boko leaders came out and talked, then amnesty can be considered. You can’t give amnesty to ghosts.
Many of us intellectuals understand his campaign. Do Boko Haram want an amnesty?
How many of them are left?
Who are they?
Will they surrender and discourage terror if an amnesty deal is struck?
These are few of the many questions we juggle in our minds.
I must ask, did the Nigerian public miss something? Was there a point where it was indicated by whoever may be left of the crazy cult, that they sought for an amnesty? If such ever happened, it must have escaped Nigeria’s media editors to publish it in the dailies. So if Boko Haram have not asked for amnesty preconditions to lay down arms, then what sense will it make to throw a so-called amnesty at “who?”
Calls for an amnesty of sorts for Boko Haram have begun to come from such people it is really embarrassing. Unless as mentioned above, the truth is being hidden from us, why are all these so-called Northern elders demanding an amnesty for a group of criminals who have not swayed toward such demand themselves?
In response to the latest demand for an amnesty by the so-called northern elders. President Jonathan simply offered that with dialogue with the leaders leaders, why not?
And that is where this article comes in. Are we missing the fact that the leaders of Boko Haram are staring us in the face?
Are the so-called northern elders representatives of such leadership in Boko Haram?
It is a simple condition of humanity, that terror and criminality can not abide within a community of ept leaders, and the reign unabated of terror under say, the community led by ‘Mr Jalalu,’ merely displays the terrible leadership of Mr Jalalu.
Northern leadership never till date stood up to condemn Boko Haram when they killed and maimed thousands of Nigerians, Muslim, Christian and other alike.
They never held meetings to decide how to deal with the Boko Haram menace, and then released such statements condemning terrorism within their communities and prescribing a method of firm remedy. No, they were silent. But now all of a sudden they are all up in announcements in request for amnesty and they should be listened to? Seriously?
I believe that the failure of Nigerian leadership, and its disconnect from its people is no where more pronounced than in North Nigeria. The leaders merely ‘chop belefu,’, they are totally disconnected from the people.
The leadership, both gubernatorial and traditional up North must be swapped completely. If the leadership was a tad bit useful, we will get more from them than this type of hurtful injustice, misrepresentation and soliciting on behalf of terrorists who have terrorized and killed us common masses. If they had some use, the north will not be the poorest part of the federation and one of the poorest in the world, on par with Somalia and Eritrea.
I searched online to see if the northern leadership had ever with such concern, stood up against Boko Haram, who have been killing us masses more than any one else. I found only three references of decisive and brave rejection of the terror and condemnation of Boko Haram as is prescribed by the prophets.
The first was from a prominent Izala Sheikh, Jingir of Plateau state, who was even a victim and survivor, by Allah’s(s) grace of Christian youth Cannibalism at an Eid prayer in 2011. Yet Sheikh Jingir stood out clearly to admonish the un-Islamic terrorism of Boko Haram. See: Sheikh Jingir challenges northern leaders to speak up over Boko Haram. If today, Sheikh Jingir called for an amnesty, not for Northern youth who of course deserve rehabilitation, social welfare and opportunity from the government, local and federal, but for the terrorist murderers of Boko Haram. I would accept such call. But, no, Sheikh Jingir has not yet spoken. Hamdullah, and not surprising Sheikh Yahaya Jingir in September 2012, bagged the Classic Africa Merit Award (CAMA) as “outstanding religious leader of the year.”
The second case of repudiation and braveness in line with Islamic injunction, against those who commit mischief on the land and kill innocent people, was the clear condemnation by a Muslim group, Muslims Against terror. This group was one of the loudest gatherings of Muslims to clearly condemn Boko Haram and venture to lead northern rebellion against them, while protecting non-Muslims in the community. Muslimsagainstterror has not only not called for a so-called amnesty for Boko Haram terrorists, it has rather declared clearly that they must be brought under Shariah law jurisprudence and they must accept their fate under the law they claim to promote. What could be a more fair call? See: Boko Haram Amnesty: Shekau Must Face Shariah Judgement-MuslimsAgainstTerror.com
The third Muslim leadership personality who was brave enough and feared his Lord enough to oblige to his duty and responsibility as a Muslim and northern leader, to properly address the issue of Boko Haram terrorism, and even all praise to the Creator, to survive bombing attempts on his life for daring to be true to his dean and his responsibility as a leader, is Sheikh Abubakar Gumi. Sheikh Gumi rose up as a true northern Muslim leader and condemned and called for the rescinding of Boko Haram from terrorism. Related: Boko Haram is Muslims and the Prophets’ Worst Enemy: Sheikh Gumi; Gets Bomb attempt. And he also, rather than call for this fake amnesty for who? Sheikh Gumi clearly stated in press release that a Muslim brother should be put in charge of the hunt for Boko Haram, who understands and can interact and relate with the people, to carefully dissect this tumor out of the northern community, not some phony amnesty, the money of which will only end up fattening these same northern failed leaders. See: Sheik Gumi Kicks Against Amnesty For Boko-SaharaReporters
Other brave scholars, with not as much media presence include Sheikh Albani Zaria, Sheik Nasir Mohammed Nasir Kano, the Emir of Fika and Sheik Abdullahi Pakistan. They too are among the few Scholars that shows that they fear Allah SWT alone. Allah(S) knows them all.
So, perhaps we missed the obvious,- those who have come out to request such amnesty are representatives of Boko Haram leadership. This is why they never promoted public messages in condemnation of Boko Haram’s nefarious activities, but now they jump up with press releases on bailing out Boko Haram.
As a northern citizen of Nigeria, I would like to tell the Nigerian government and these so-called northern elders. Thanks, but no thanks. Boko Haram deserves no pity. Their northern leadership spokesmen, deserve nothing other than to be relieved of their leadership posts. They do not represent us masses, so who do they represent? Perhaps the other side.
Politely put, dear elders, “get lost,” you do not represent us. You have led us youth to fight and kill innocent people too long. You have not protected or preserved our lives and our deen. You believe in a retarded haggle for leadership of Nigeria, regardless of the fact that all the times leadership came to a so-called Northern indigen, our region only became poorer and poorer and more set-back from the rest of Nigeria.
Related: Rotation of power not democratic –Sheikh Jingir
The National Chairman, Council of Ulama of Jama’atul Izalatul Bidia Wa Ikamatus Sunnah, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir said rotation of power from one part of the country to another is undemocratic under a true and practical system of modern democratic culture.
And to northern youth, – please let us consider getting a new set of leaders and a better leadership. Wallahi Ya isa!
Let’s take home this statement by Sheikh Isa Ali Pantami:
The inaugural speech of Abubakar Siddiq (RA) as one of most just and responsible leaders in the history of humanity. He said to his followers and masses after being appointment as a leader:
“I have been given the authority and I am not the best of you. If I do well, help me; and if I do wrong, set me right. Loyalty is to tell the truth to your leader; treason is to hide it. The weak among you will be powerful in my eyes until I secure his right, if Allah so wills. The strong among you shall be weak in my eyes until I get the right from him. If people do not follow the way of Allah (Almighty God), He will definitely disgrace them. Obey me as long as I obey Allah (Almighty God) and His Prophet, and if I disobey them, you owe me no obedience.”
My dear brothers and sister on Facebook, kindly analyse this Abubakar’s speech with our Evil leaders and their lieutenants. These lieutenants and sycophants, they do not only remain silent on the evil deeds of their leaders, but they as well encourage them to continue partaking and promoting evil actions and corrupt practices. In addition, they defend the action of their bosses even where they are undefendable and criminals.
We need to adopt this speech even in dealing with the members of our families. May Allah rehabilitate our so-called leaders and guide them to adopt this Abubakar’s model in words and actions,…
May Allah save our fatherland from sinking in the ocean of disaster and corruption,…
Update, April 2, 2013
Nigeria: Hold Northern Leaders Responsible for Crisis — Arewa Youths
Apr. 2, 2013 As security problems in the north escalate, youths in the region, yesterday, expressed disappointment with the political leaders from the area, whom they accused of not showing enough interest in tackling the challenges to pave way for peace and development. Read more
