US, Buhari Support Amnesty For Boko Haram.

The United States of America have announced its support on amnesty for Boko Haram.

On Wednesday, the Political Counsellor at the Embassy of the USA, Gregory Lawless, said it backed the Federal Government’s plan on the condition that amnesty was the solution to ending violence in the north and around the country.

“We think it is a positive development. We will work with Nigerian government as it develops its own policy approach as to counter violent extremism,” Lawless said.

“Security concerns in Nigeria would be addressed through our regional security cooperation working group as part of the Bi-National Commission.

“We are looking at a holistic approach to address the unmet grievances of the population, especially in the north.

“Through that mechanism, we think by broadening the scope of response to violent extremism, we believe that we will be addressing some of those issues in a more fundamental way.”

Lawless was speaking on the issue at a teleconference on US-Nigerian Binational Commission. He added that on another note, the US had not changed its disapproval of the state pardon given to former Bayelsa Governor, Dipreye Alamieyeseigha.

“The situation has not changed,” he said.

According to reports, U.S. Department of State spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, recently spoke in Washington.

“We see this as a setback for the fight against corruption, and also for our ability to play the strong role we’ve played in supporting rule of law and legal institution-building in Nigeria, which is very important for the future of the country obviously.

“We have made clear to Nigerians that this puts a question mark on the kind of work that we’ve been trying to do with them.

“We haven’t yet taken the kinds of steps that you’re suggesting Matt (the reporter who asked the question), but we’re continuing to look at what’s appropriate.”

Meanwhile, the leader of the Congress for Progressive Change, former president Muhammadu Buhari has thrown his support behind the federal government efforts at exploring the feasibility of granting amnesty to Boko Haram members in the interest of peace.

Buhari said this yesterday in Abeokuta, Ogun State while on a visit to condole with Mrs. H.I.D Awolowo, the matriarch of the Awolowo family, whose son, Oluwole, died recently.

“This is not the first time amnesty would be given to a violent group, you remember it happened in the time of Yar ‘Adua when he granted amnesty to militants in the Niger Delta. Whatever that would bring us peace as a society, we should do it,” he said.