SERAP Writes Buhari, Resists Amnesty For Boko Haram Members

Image: Vanguard

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to “drop the proposed policy to grant amnesty to members of Boko Haram.

The civil right group said dropping the amnesty proposal would be in the interest of Nigerians.

It warned that any amnesty programme for the group would be counter-productive, and constitute impunity for their members, which can only continue to undermine peace and stability in the country.

SERAP made these known in an open letter to the commander in chief dated March 23.

It said the government should instead “prioritise justice for the victims of Boko Haram and help them to rebuild and get on with their lives rather than pushing to remove accountability for the mass atrocities committed against millions of Nigerian women, men, children and the elderly, and allowing those responsible to escape justice.”

The letter read in part: “Any amnesty for Boko Haram would take away the rights of the victims to justice, ignore the needs of the internally displaced persons, and never bring ‘closure’ to the mass atrocities committed by the group against Nigerians. The victims need to know the truth about what happened, and the alleged complicity of our armed forces and security services in the atrocities committed by the group. The offer of amnesty would prevent the government from addressing these fundamental issues.”

“Indeed, both individual victims and Nigeria would be disadvantaged by any amnesty to Boko Haram. Besides depriving the country of its opportunity to bring perpetrators to justice, it would also help to create a culture of impunity where perpetrators can anticipate immunity, and thus jeopardise the governing power of the authorities in the future.

“We contend that impunity for international crimes and systematic and widespread violations of fundamental human rights is a betrayal of solidarity with the victims of Boko Haram to whom the authorities owe a duty of justice, remembrance, and compensation.

“The pursuit of justice and accountability fulfils fundamental human values, helps achieve peace, and contributes to the prevention and deterrence of future violence. Thus, to grant amnesty to Boko Haram is to choose expedience over lasting goals and more enduring values.”





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