The Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu-Uche, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to grant amnesty to the detained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, and Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a. Igboho, to end the clamour for self-determination in the South.
Kanu-Uche, who spoke to journalists in Abuja yesterday, said many prominent people in the country had the listening ears of the agitators, adding that the government could use them to dialogue with the separatists. “He also suggested that the Federal Government pay N25,000 monthly stipend to repentant bandits and Boko Haram members, saying hunger and poverty drove many to embrace terror and banditry.
While urging the Buhari administration not to underestimate the influence Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi could exert on the bandits in the North, the Methodist Prelate said the renown Muslim cleric could help the government develop effective blueprint for tackling the menace of banditry.
He said: “Who are those collecting ransom for bandits? If the government rather than criticising Gumi, engages him positively, he can bring a solution. You don’t dismiss him and say he is a bad man.
”If he goes to the bush and they (bandits) have confidence in him, the government can dialogue with them.
“Let me tell you, these boys are being used by politicians. I am telling you to quote me. If you engage them and be paying them N25,000 monthly, they will not kidnap. All they want is food.
“I support amnesty for them the way it was done in the Niger Delta region. It quelled the tension, and that’s why we are getting oil money.
“Let government also offer amnesty to Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Adeyemo, and say ‘come, let us dialogue’.
“I have volunteered to dialogue with Christians from the South-East, let the Federal Government involve me and people like Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu. It is not that we are part of the clamour for secession, but we know how to talk to our people. Let them involve some of the notable Bishops.
“Don’t even tag them terrorists. If you tag them terrorists, enmity has been created. So, call them thus; ‘Our children, come, let us dialogue’. I want to tell you that it will work the magic.”
