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10.08.2011 Nigeria

NEGOTIATING WITH BOKO HARAM

10.08.2011 LISTEN

Recent news reports have it that the Jonathan maladministration is considering negotiating with the Islamist terror group Boko Haram, along the same lines as for Niger Delta militants. This silly idea is based on a fallacious comparison of apples & oranges.

Niger Delta militants were settled with cash and promises of development. Would Boko Haram give up their dream of Sharia utopia and heavenly sex with 72 virgins for cash bribe from the infidel GEJ? Methink not, so I'm puzzled as to Jonathan's negotiating strategy. A deal was possible with Niger Delta militants because their basic demand – developmental benefit from the oil wealth taken from their land - is reasonable and achievable.


The same cannot be said for Boko Haram's demand which is full Sharia implementation in the northern states to replace our “man-made” democracy which they consider immoral and corrupt. It is almost pointless to negotiate with such unreasonable parochial mindset as there's virtually no common ground.

In the proposed negotiation, does the Federal government intend to give in to the Islamist group's demand for full Sharia in the northern states? Given that our constitution already spells out the limits of Sharia, and therefore only a constitutional amendment can give Boko Haram what it desires, can GEJ deliver on any Sharia promises to the Islamist terror group?

Let's bear in mind that constitutional amendment requires endorsement of least 24 state legislatures. I just don't see the Houses of Assembly in Southern and several Middle belt states agreeing to such an amendment that would subject their indigenes in the core North to the retrogressive misogynistic barbarism glorified as Sharia.

The only way Islamists in our core North will ever get to implement the full Sharia they insist on, is to get the hell out of Naija – better known as the Orkar solution - which many Southerners have been clamouring for. In other words northern Islamists are playing into the hands of Southern secessionists and de-amalgamationists.


If on the other hand most core North Muslims want to remain in Naija and continue to enjoy oil wealth from the south with trade access via southern seaports, then they had better call their Islamist co-religionists to order. It beggars belief that Islamists in the core North want to use oil wealth from the non-Muslim South to oppress southerners in the north...not to forget moderate Muslims. They can't eat their cake and have it.

Religion should be a private matter between each individual and his/her creator, which is why our “pagan” ancestors carried out their devotions in the privacy of their homes rather than the public congregational worship practiced by the two bogus alien dogmas (Islam & Christianity) tearing our nation apart. Our governments (local to federal) should not be involved in promoting any alien religion that infringes on personal liberties and is intent on destroying our indigenous cultural heritage.

Boko Haram should be unreservedly crushed with all the might at the disposal of our security agencies otherwise government would be setting a very bad precedent that is inimical to the sovereignty and continued existence of Nigeria as one nation. The only succor Federal government should offer these violent Islamists is amnesty for those who surrender unconditionally to the authorities.

The federal government should go further and use the Boko Haram menace as an opportunity to institutionalize comprehensive security measures that preempt violent crimes and ethno-religious clashes rather than the present ad hoc fire-brigade approach of mobilizing trigger-happy soldiers who perpetrate unspeakable atrocities as they deal with kidnappers (in SE), Niger Delta militants or Boko Haram.


By the way, someone should please tell the idiots in Aso Rock and our security agencies to stop those nonsensical radio/TV jingles/advertorials against bomb violence. Do they really believe such adverts would move Boko Haram to abandon terrorism which is sanctioned by Allah?

“Strike terror in the hearts of Allah's enemies and your enemies” – Quran 8:60

Nafata Bamaguje

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