Babangida Declines To Comment On Amnesty For Boko Haram

Before the rejection of the offer of amnesty, by the Islamism sect, former military Head of State and General Ibrahim Babangida told journalists in Minna that pardon for the group, as proposed by the federal government is part of measures at ensuring that peace returns to the northern region.General Babangida, however declined further comments on the proposal, but, promised to talk more on it, when the President inaugurates the committee.

Mr. Babangida, who hosted journalists at his residence in Minna, Niger State, on Thursday, said setting up such a committee “is part of measures at ensuring that peace stability was returned to the Northern region.”According to him ‘’I do not know the terms of reference of the committee, therefore I cannot speak about the plan until the terms of reference are released.’’“Every Nigerian has a role to play in tackling the security challenges facing us as a nation,” because “the government could not possibly tackle such problem alone.”“If we all come together, the elite, the media, the ordinary people and the government by taking a common stand just as the people of Azare in Bauchi did to tackle their security challenges,” he said.

As much as he declined to speak on the Boko Haram issue, General Babangida urged the nation to trace the root of the problem.“The problem did not start in one day … it was gradual thing before it came to this level … owing to our negligence by the government, the elite and the people; but I cannot blame anyone.”“Some 20 years ago, we did not have this problem, what was the state of things then, what have we forgotten …that we have not done that led to the present challenges, this we have look at.”“It is something that everyone has a hand in solving …to ensure peace stability in the country, therefore we should not leave this to government alone,” Babangida said.

The former Head of State also asked all Nigerians to join hands with the President and governments at all levels to tackle the problem of insecurity in the country.

I want to reserve my comments too on both Babangida and the committee