The Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has set up a new committee to look at how an amnesty for the militant group Boko Haram can be implemented to solve the group frequent attacks on people in the country.
The statement from the office of the President was released to reporters yesterday in the capital to show the government commitment to bring an end to the group activities.
The committee according to local reporters will consider dialogue and disarmament in 60 days after which the report of the committee will be implemented.
The committee is made up of 25 members include military figures, academicians and politicians who primary duty will be to address the underlying causes of insurgencies and to find solutions to prevent them recurring again.
The statement also further indicated that the President has approved another establishment of another government committee on the proliferation of small arms in an attempt to increase security and stabilize the country.
Both committees will be inaugurated officially on the 24th April this month to begin their assignment in order to bring peace in the country.
Both Religious and political leaders in northern-eastern Nigeria which is the centre of attraction of the insurgency recently called for an amnesty for Boko Haram.
The president initially refused to grant them the amnesty saying they were unknown and are operating like “ghost’’ with no demands.
But the President later rescinded his decision in March by asking a team of security advisers to look into the possibility of granting the militants a pardon.
The team then reported to the National Security Council after their preliminary meeting leading to the establishment of the committee which will try to what the government described as “constructively engaging key members of Boko Haram and define a comprehensive and workable framework for resolving the crisis of insecurity in the country”.
Many political analysts say it is a sign that of acknowledgement from the presidency that the military crackdown against the group is not working.
Others too have commended the government for this new development as they say they believe that dialogue is the best solution in situation like what the country is facing currently.
Amnesty International said in January that Boko Haram had killed at least 2,000 people in their attacks and urged the government to find an urgent solution to stop them.
Issaka Adams /NationalTurk Africa News
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