Boko Haram rejects Amnesty offer

The radical Isamic group, Boko Haram has turned down the amnesty deal offered by the Nigerian government.
In a audio statement obtained by AFP, the group said there was no reason for a pardon as it has not done anything wrong so far.

Leader of the sect, who has been designated a global terrorist by the United States, said:“Surprisingly, the Nigerian government is talking about granting us amnesty. What wrong have we done? On the contrary, it is we that should grant you pardon,” he said, listing what he described as the state’s “atrocities” against Muslims.

The statement was made while the group spoke in Hausa, the audio recording distributed by email to mostly foreign media organizations, reportedly similar to that of previous Shekau statements.

President Goodluck Jonathan last week gave an indication that he would offer an amnesty to the Islamists, by constituting a committee to coordinate the deal. The panel, comprising security officials, northern leaders and traditional rulers will turn in their report later this month. Since 2009, violent attacks by the group has left over 3000 people, including women, children and security agents dead and some, homeless. Jonathan has come under intense attack by some of the northern leaders on the need to pardon members of the sect as a way of ensuring peace in the region.

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