• Hails Buhari on Civilian JTF

A group, the Northern Inter-faith and Religious Organisation for Peace (NIROP), has reiterated call for an amnesty programme for repentant members of the Boko Haram sect.

The group also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the absorption of members of the local vigilance outfit, also known as Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), into security agencies.

National Coordinator of NIROP, Bishop Musa Fomson, who spoke with reporters in Abuja, yesterday, said: “We want to suggest that the authorities strongly consider granting amnesty to members of Boko Haram that are not high up in its command structure, as an incentive to make them drop their weapons without further human toll.

“What is on trial here is our humanity. Even as the war on terror reaches the advanced stage of clearing out remnants of the sect, deaths are still being recorded on all sides. An incentive to stop the remaining terrorists from putting up stiff fight is to encourage surrender. This should specifically target the non-combatant elements of the terror group and those that were coerced into joining the sect.”

NIROP, however, warned that the amnesty should focus on demobilising Boko Haram members “and must not be converted into a money making jamboree. It must also be monitored in a way that it is possible to keep track of those that sign up for the deal.”

Commending President Buhari on the absorption of members of the CJTF, Bishop Fomson said: “Their training and absorption into the Nigerian Army and other agencies is a confirmation that the fight against terrorism has reached the point where homegrown solutions have to be engineered. The concern has been how to disarm and demobilise the youths, after they have been forced to bear arms. Those raising the concern were afraid of what would happen when the military has completely defeated Boko Haram. The youths could become a source of problem because they have the skills to fight but are not gainfully employed.”