Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Saturday appealed to the dreaded fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, to accept the amnesty offered by the Federal Government.
He also urged the Federal Government not to be deterred in its peace moves in spite of the difficulties being experienced in its quest to achieve peace.
Ribadu, the Action Congress of Nigeria presidential candidate in the 2011 election, made this appeal while speaking with journalists at Ikenne, Ogun State durind a visit to the family of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
The former EFCC chairman who was in company with the former minister of aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, and a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Aliyu Moddibo, on a condolence visit over the death of the Publisher of the Tribune titles, Chief Oluwole Awolowo, stressed that Boko Haram should have a rethink about its recent decision to reject the Federal Government’s offer of amnesty to its members.
Rather, he appealed to the sect to accept the amnesty offer “in the name of God.”
Ribadu noted that the activities of the Boko Haram had cost the nation monumental human and material losses.
He advised the sect to be mindful of the fact that nothing meaningful could be achieved in an atmosphere devoid of peace, adding that the sect was doing no one any good by the killings and maiming being perpetrated by its members.
Ribadu said errorism would not thrive in Nigeria, urging those involved to embrace peace.
The ex-EFCC boss said, “I am also making a direct appeal to those who are involved to know that they are destroying their own people. They must understand that it has not worked anywhere in the world and it will not work in Nigeria. What do they want to gain from this senseless killings? In the name of God, let them stop.”
Appealing to the Federal Government not to be discouraged by the recent developments, he explained that dialoguing with those involved in the dreadful acts would give Nigerians the much-desired hope of putting an end to the carnage.
“It is very sad when I heard that the Boko Haram sect rejected the amnesty offer, but that does not mean that government should totally relent in the move. Personally, my view from the outset is we should pursue the direction of dialogue and not closing any door against peace.
“From now, the feelers and body language of the sect is not encouraging, but that does not mean that we should abandon or give up. We should pursue the direction of peace.”
Punch Nigeria
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