Renowned rights activist, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi Esq on Monday condemned the proposed bill before the National Assembly seeking to grant the repentant Boko haram fighters amnesty.
The legal practitioner spoke with Our Correspondent in Warri.
Ikimi who doubles as the Executive Director of the Centre for the Vulnerable and Underprivileged, CENTREP described the proposed bill as,”Anti-Nigerian”.
“I don’t support it because, this is the same Presidency that once told us that the majority of the Boko Haram fighters are foreigners and are not Nigerians. Are we granting Amnesty to foreigners?
“Granting Amnesty to the Niger Delta militants is a different ball game. Granting Boko Haram fighters whom the Presidency has already said that the majority of its fighters were foreigners is a different ball game.
” So, we have to be very very careful. Also recruiting them in the Nigerian Army is dangerous because the Presidency have some Security information than we ordinary Nigerians do n ot have.
“So, if the Presidency can come out and say majority of the Boko Haram fighters are foreigners, then, why are we recruiting them into the Army? Then, why are we granting them Amnesty? These are very, very dangerous issues
” Except the Presidency refutes that statement because I read it in the newspaper, in the national daily that majority of Boko Haram are foreign fighters. So, we have to be very, very careful.
“The problem with the National Assembly is that they are under wraps and cover of the Presidency.
“The National Assembly don’t have their own say because they’re operating under the Presidency. They’re not as independent as we think they’re because the principal officers were selected by the Presidency.
” So, how can this National Assembly work? How can they really work as a national assembly? As a legislative body when they’re under the wraps and cover of the Presidency?
“I expect the National Assembly to throw away the Bill. If they do not throw away the bill, during public hearing, Nigerians will come over and throw away that bill and reject the bill in total through public hearing because there must be time for us to have a public hearing. We will come and throw away that Bill because it’s not in the interests of Nigerians. It is Anti-Nigerian.
” So, what the National Assembly should be talking about is laws on how to promote security, good governance and welfare of Nigerians. That’s what we should do.”
