Governor Isah Yuguda of Bauchi
State has assured that “real Boko Haram members” will accept the amnesty
offered by the federal government.
State has assured that “real Boko Haram members” will accept the amnesty
offered by the federal government.
He declared, however, that it is the responsibility of the
government to deal with criminal and political members of the Boko Haram sect
when the real members accept the amnesty proposed by President Goodluck
Jonathan.
government to deal with criminal and political members of the Boko Haram sect
when the real members accept the amnesty proposed by President Goodluck
Jonathan.
Yuguda, who spoke with editors in Lagos on Saturday night, said
that the real members of the sect who have various problems agitating their
minds “have accepted and will accept the amnesty, which the president is
proposing”.
that the real members of the sect who have various problems agitating their
minds “have accepted and will accept the amnesty, which the president is
proposing”.
The governor, who said there was a serious need to look into the
issues that prompted the sect’s activities such as joblessness and illiteracy,
noted that those who are kicking against the amnesty package are the criminals
and the politically motivated among the members.
issues that prompted the sect’s activities such as joblessness and illiteracy,
noted that those who are kicking against the amnesty package are the criminals
and the politically motivated among the members.
He also spoke on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), boasting
that the party would win 35 out of the 36 states of the federation in 2015.
that the party would win 35 out of the 36 states of the federation in 2015.
Yuguda also denied any crisis existed among the governors in
their forum but instead explained that the PDP Governors’ Forum was necessary
to discuss matters arising from the PDP manifesto.
their forum but instead explained that the PDP Governors’ Forum was necessary
to discuss matters arising from the PDP manifesto.
Still on Boko Haram, the governor said that there was no true
Muslim that would pick up weapons and kill a fellow man.
Muslim that would pick up weapons and kill a fellow man.
Nonetheless, he made it clear that there exist criminal elements
among the sect, adding that it was left for the government to deal with them
after the package has been accepted by the real sect members.
among the sect, adding that it was left for the government to deal with them
after the package has been accepted by the real sect members.
Said the governor: “Amnesty has been given to the real
Boko Haram and I believe they are willing to accept that. That is my belief,
but you know there is the criminal Boko Haram and there is the real Boko Haram.
But the criminal and the political Boko Haram are the armed robbers and that
arm of politicians that call themselves Boko Haram and they go about attacking
people.
Boko Haram and I believe they are willing to accept that. That is my belief,
but you know there is the criminal Boko Haram and there is the real Boko Haram.
But the criminal and the political Boko Haram are the armed robbers and that
arm of politicians that call themselves Boko Haram and they go about attacking
people.
“Maybe, it is the criminal Boko Haram members that are
responding to say that they don’t want amnesty because they have a different
intention. Some of them are gunrunners, some of them are armed robbers and some
of them are doing that on behalf of politicians. So, they just hide under Boko
Haram and perpetrate evil.
responding to say that they don’t want amnesty because they have a different
intention. Some of them are gunrunners, some of them are armed robbers and some
of them are doing that on behalf of politicians. So, they just hide under Boko
Haram and perpetrate evil.
“For those that are actually Boko Haram, I would want to believe
that there is something that is agitating their minds, not about killing human
beings but probably there are certain things that have agitated their minds
–probably joblessness. I understand some of them are university graduates —
15 years, no job.
that there is something that is agitating their minds, not about killing human
beings but probably there are certain things that have agitated their minds
–probably joblessness. I understand some of them are university graduates —
15 years, no job.
“Now that the president has extended that olive branch to
them, I would like to believe that they are quite happy. There has to be an end
to all these. Once they have accepted, we know that we have to face the
criminals. Any other person that is calling himself Boko Haram, we know they
are the armed robbers and the political Boko Haram. You have to understand
this. Boko in Hausa is “learning in English”, including learning rocket
science, medicine, biology, Chemistry, Hausa, Yoruba – anything learnt in
English characters. But if you learn rocket science in Arabic, is it Boko too?”
them, I would like to believe that they are quite happy. There has to be an end
to all these. Once they have accepted, we know that we have to face the
criminals. Any other person that is calling himself Boko Haram, we know they
are the armed robbers and the political Boko Haram. You have to understand
this. Boko in Hausa is “learning in English”, including learning rocket
science, medicine, biology, Chemistry, Hausa, Yoruba – anything learnt in
English characters. But if you learn rocket science in Arabic, is it Boko too?”
The governor contended that it was wrong to refer to Boko Haram
as a religious sect or Islamic sect. Rather, he said, there is a serious need
to look at the sect and find out what the agitation was all about. He stressed
that neither Islam nor Christianity permits its adherents to kill.
as a religious sect or Islamic sect. Rather, he said, there is a serious need
to look at the sect and find out what the agitation was all about. He stressed
that neither Islam nor Christianity permits its adherents to kill.
According to him, “I become really worried when I read about
mayhem, insecurity and all that in Bauchi. What is all this? I am telling you
that the crimes committed in one city in any of these developed countries are
more than that committed in Nigeria. Way back in 1999, the budget for security
alone was in the region of about $30b. I am telling you that in one city alone…
mayhem, insecurity and all that in Bauchi. What is all this? I am telling you
that the crimes committed in one city in any of these developed countries are
more than that committed in Nigeria. Way back in 1999, the budget for security
alone was in the region of about $30b. I am telling you that in one city alone…
“If you read the Bible from the beginning to the end,
there is nowhere it says go and kill for God. Even the Bible says if you
are slapped on the left, you turn the other cheek. What is the justification
for the killing of people? Certainly not from the Bible! As for you being a
Muslim, you cannot be a Muslim without believing in the Bible. In the Quoran,
Jesus is Isah, the son of Mary. You must believe in his mother and believe that
he was given birth to by the power of the Holy Spirit. You must believe in the
Bible, even though there are minor variations — that which relates to the
crucifixion and the Trinity…
there is nowhere it says go and kill for God. Even the Bible says if you
are slapped on the left, you turn the other cheek. What is the justification
for the killing of people? Certainly not from the Bible! As for you being a
Muslim, you cannot be a Muslim without believing in the Bible. In the Quoran,
Jesus is Isah, the son of Mary. You must believe in his mother and believe that
he was given birth to by the power of the Holy Spirit. You must believe in the
Bible, even though there are minor variations — that which relates to the
crucifixion and the Trinity…
“For any Muslim or Christian who picks up a weapon and
says I want to kill, that man is a criminal. He is not a Muslim, he is not a
Christian. And the earlier you start preaching this philosophy, the better for
all of us. We must find a reason for the killing. It is either poverty, tribal
or you look for the reason. It is not religious.”
says I want to kill, that man is a criminal. He is not a Muslim, he is not a
Christian. And the earlier you start preaching this philosophy, the better for
all of us. We must find a reason for the killing. It is either poverty, tribal
or you look for the reason. It is not religious.”
Source: Leadership
