Burden of Amnesty

The idea of granting amnesty to rebels, insurgents or militant groups, is often seen as a possible solution to ending protracted conflicts or insurgency against a state. Nigeria currently faces series of insurgencies in almost every of its geo-political zone and it seems not to be winning them. This thereby raises the argument on the use of amnesty in resolving the violent conflict.

Amnesty often suggests a win-win situation for armed groups and the state granting it. In the case of Nigeria, it is believed that it will discourage violent crimes and entrench peace. As relatively effective as the 2009 amnesty programme for militants in the Niger Delta, there are quite a few loopholes to the programme and leniency strategies.

The 2009 Niger Delta amnesty programme, though was declared open for all militants, seemed not to incorporate all repentant ex-militants in the region. An article, A Stitch in Time analyses the renewed agitation of some ex-militants excluded from the amnesty programme, and the consequences it poses in terms of reawakened militancy in the region. Although the 2009 amnesty programme is not a sustainable strategy to maintaining peace in the region, for what it is worth, lack of an all-inclusive process breeds grounds for new militant agitations.

In another possibility of an amnesty package, there were indications that the Nigerian state weighed amnesty deals for Boko Haram insurgents, however, these moves have been shredded in secrecy. Undisclosed forms of amnesty programme have been brought to limelight through the Operation Safe Corridor, that allows low-risk repentant insurgents, a safe passage process for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR).  To that effect, 53 repentant insurgents were de-radicalised in 2017 by Nigerian Army. In the same year, National Orientation Agency (NOA) partnered with the Nigerian Army to de-radicalise an undisclosed number of ex-insurgents. Also, in earlier 2019, 152 repentant Boko Haram fighters graduated from one year de-radicalisation training organised by the Nigerian Army. However, there have not been further reports on the sustained successes of these de-radicalised ex-insurgents.

The first half of 2019 was inundated by bandits’ onslaught in the North-west zone particularly in Zamfara state, despite reports of amnesty for willing and repentant bandits. However, recent reports of peace deals and decline in cases of banditry in the region, suggest that the peace initiative of the governor of Zamfara state, is gaining wider acceptance. Notably, 2009 Niger Delta amnesty, the non-disclosed forms of amnesty for ex-insurgents in the North-east, and much recently, peace deals for repentant bandits in Zamfara state. highlight issues of transparency, stakeholders ‘inclusivity, sustainability considerations, while mapping out amnesty programmes in Nigeria.

Importantly, amnesty programmes should be sustainable, or at least periodised. For instance, the Nigerian state cannot continue to pay stipends to ex-militants of the Niger Delta, and even exclude some groups while doing so. Amnesty programmes should take into account the role of victims and societies in DDR processes. Communities were these repentant armed groups are to be integrated into, should also undergo appreciable level of sensitization. This is to ensure their willingness and readiness to accept people who might have directly or indirectly contributed to their many sufferings. Like in February 2018, an article, Friend or Foe asks vital questions on the acceptance or rejection of de-radicalised ex-Boko haram fighters into their former communities in the North-east Nigeria.

Brookings Institute posits that, for Nigeria to become an exemplar of DDR programmes, it has to expand leniency measures, and effectively reintegrate and rehabilitate repentant members of armed groups in the country. Amnesty programmes should be formal, transparent and broad-based to include all stakeholders (Nigerian state, armed groups, victims and communities) in the conflict. This will ensure minimal retribution towards amnesty beneficiaries from communities that have directly or indirectly borne the impact of the conflict.