Bishop Matthew Kukah, the fiery Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, has supported the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to grant amnesty to repentant members of the Boko Haram.
Bishop Kukah revealed his position while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Hard Copy in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
“I think I was one of the first people to raise the issue of amnesty about five years ago, I know how much we were vilified,” he said.
“But I was pretty convinced about what I was saying that for me if you mention the word amnesty, Nigerians think it simply means shaking hands and telling everybody to go home.”
On March 23, President Muhammadu Buhari unveiled that government was willing to offer amnesty to members of the outlawed group.
READ: Corruption: Osinbajo on a moral highground
He had noted that while further efforts were ongoing to secure the release of every citizen abducted by the insurgents, government was ready to accept the unconditional laying down of arms by any member of the group who showed strong commitment in that regard.
Kukah, on his part, lauded the decision, saying amnesty was the way to go as no war has ended with victory being declared.
“If Boko Haram has been perceived to be as so weakened as it is, we would not be talking about negotiation. So clearly, those with superior information and superior knowledge – which is what government is all about – know something that the rest of us don’t.”
Evaluating the war against corruption, the clergyman said: “Corruption is not something that government fights, government might offer a lead, but it will get you to nowhere unless you have the buy-in of the people,” Kukah told ChannelsTV
The Nigerian Army had also asked Boko Haram insurgents to lay down their arms and embrace the federal government’s amnesty offer.
A statement signed by Brigadier General Texas Chukwu, Director, Army Public Relations, said: “we wish to remind repentant Boko Haram fighters that the window of opportunity to embrace the Federal Government Amnesty programme is still open for them to surrender and lay down their weapons.
