The President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government appears to be treating the dreaded Boko Haram members who have killed and destroyed properties worth millions of Naira in recent times with kid gloves, following the recent Appeal Court Judgment, Post-Nigeria authoritatively gathered.
The Court of Appeal in Lagos last Friday, had affirmed the judgment of a Federal High Court, convicting and sentencing three members of the Boko Haram gang, to 25 years imprisonment each.
Out of the four persons charged, three were sentenced to 25 years imprisonment each, while the fourth accused was shockingly discharged and acquitted.
With Buhari subtly giving the rag-tag Boko Haram soft landing, while ordering the military to “Shoot at sight” the Niger Delta militants, the group has vowed to crumble the economy, unless its demands are met.
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Buhari had given a fresh order to the military to crack down on a new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, which has been attacking oil installations.
The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier General, Rabe Abubakar, in an interview, confirmed that the military had gotten the directive.
He said, “We have the order from the President and we are monitoring the activities of the new group. All efforts will be made to bring out those behind it.
Buhari had also in April, during his visit to China, threatened that his administration would descend heavily on oil and gas pipeline vandals, as well as other saboteurs the same way the nation’s Armed Forces were dealing with members of the Boko Haram sect.
Reacting, a cross section of Nigerians have maintained that it would be unfair for President Buhari to accept a 25-years imprisonment for the dredged Boko Haram terrorist, while pronouncing doom on the Niger Delta militants, who are advocating for their rights.
“It’s disgusting to say the least. On one hand they are telling us how to accommodate Boko Haram that are killing people, but on a second hand, they are planning to crush the Niger delta Avengers. The level of hypocrisy is annoying,” a source wrote.
Alex Umencoz said: “Niger delta militants are on bombing spree, Buhari should accede to their demands. His arrogance won’t win this one. He should be a gentleman for once”
Mr. Daudoh commented: “Their demands are parallel. Boko Haram wants a caliphate. Niger Delta militants want a fair slice of its resources”
“They have demands. Buhari was ready to have a talk with BOKO HARAM. What is stopping him from having a sit down with Niger Delta militants? A source questioned.
The militant group had earlier claimed responsibility for the recent bombings of the Chevron valve facility, and the 48-inch trunk line supplying crude oil to Warri refinery.
The militants demanded the immediate implementation of the report of the 2014 National Conference, or the country would break up.
They insisted that the ownership of oil blocks must reflect 60 percent for the oil-producing people and 40 percent for others and that the nation’s only maritime university located in ‘‘the most appropriate and befitting place Okerenkoko, must start the 2015/2016 academic session immediately.’’
They asked the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to apologize to the Ijaws and the entire Niger Delta people for his careless and reckless statement about the location of the maritime university.’
Sympathizing with the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, the group demanded that its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, should be released unconditionally, as a court has ruled.
It said that the Niger Delta Amnesty programme must be well funded and allowed to continue to function effectively.
Faulting Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign on the grounds that it is skewed in favour of his political associates, the militants said that all members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who are indicted in any corruption-related cases, should be made to face trial like members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, among others.
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