News Release: Niger Delta Militants’ Body Says Amnesty For Boko Haram Will Be Mistake

In the past few weeks and maybe months, we have been inundated with the calls for Amnesty from key leaders and elements of Northern Nigeria. From the Sultan of Sokoto, who, as leader of Muslims and the Islamic faith in the Nigerian state, and without any shame, preferred to undermine himself and join the band of failed Northern leaders to demand for Amnesty for the blood sucking human-hating infidels who today parade Northern Nigeria under the label of Boko Haram.

The Sultan, in calling for amnesty, has shown that he has lost the leadership of the Islamic faith in the Nigerian State. He should be deposed immediately.

To strengthen that shame on Northern elites, the likes of Aminu Masari (who ate from the palms of former Governor Peter Odili, Nuhu Ribadu, Professor Ango Abdullahi ( a former University don) as well as some former members of the Nigerian Armed Forces who are now stakeholders of the Northern Elders Forum, have also lend their voices to the call for Amnesty for the Islamist extremist movement that has killed more than 400 Christians through bombing of churches, straight-faced slitting of the throats of Christian faithfuls while they attended church programs etc.

Boko Haram or whatever names they append to themselves, has killed enough men, women and children. They have murdered in cold and hot blood far more soldiers and officers of the Nigeria police than any other insurgency in the history of the Nigerian State.

There are families who will never recover from the wickedness and murderous treachery that Boko Haram has visited on them.

The blood of all those who Boko Haram has so viciously and satanically killed will be on all those who today call for Amnesty. Boko Haram represents the fullness of filthiness of the earth. If Boko Haram is given amnesty, we declared amnesty for the Niger Delta as null and void and we shall go to war first with the Nigerian state and then, all the Northern leaders who support that evil cause and then those who have acquired billions in investment in the Niger Delta. We will spare none of them.

We see the Amnesty granted to agitating elements of the Niger Delta as a big distraction from the more serious issues of developing the Niger Delta.

The East-West road is not yet completed. Nothing is being heard about the Niger Delta Coastal road whose initial design has been successfully completed by its design consultants. We hear nothing about the Lagos-Calabar rail link. We hear nothing about increased participation of the indigenous Niger Deltans in managing the oil and gas resources of the Niger Delta even while our land and waters continue to be exploited and devastated each passing day.

The Nigerian state, with or without Jonathan, will not believe what will happen when we turn the cart. What belongs to Caesar must be given to Caesar. Nothing more, Nothing less.

We do not demand for the proceeds of groundnut pyramids. Neither do we demand for the proceeds of Cattle rearing or Nomadic farming. Our demands are simple. Use the billions of dollars harvested from our lands to develop our lands.

If this is not done, YET again, we will go back to the creeks and challenge the existence of the Nigerian State.

A simple word should be good enough for the those who say they are wise.

God bless the good people of the Niger Delta. Their patience and resilience, in the midst of such much perverse provocation has kept kept Nigeria alive.

The Struggle has yet again, begun.

Cynthia Whyte

Spokesperson, 

Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC)