Makinde Faults Amnesty Package For Boko Haram

HE Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde, has faulted the proposed amnesty package for the Islamic sect, Boko Haram by the Federal Government, stating that it is pervasion of justice on the victims of their evil acts.
At the end of the 31st Bishops’ Council of Methodist Church Nigeria held at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) last Monday, the Prelate said the Reconciliation Committee set up by the government is concentrating more on the offenders, leaving the offended unattended to.
“We are saying that the victims of Boko Haram must be compensated, the churches and the houses of the victims that were destroyed must be rebuilt, and Nigeria must be talking about those who are maimed.
“We do not support amnesty for criminals and for faceless people. We are in support of the reconciliation committee and dialogue, but the committee should know that some people have been killed in their places of worships, in the garages and so on, some churches were razed to the ground while shops and property were destroyed. They should not be silent on that. They are concentrating too much on the offenders than the offended.
“Any dialogue without compensation to those who have been offended is void. You cannot just be dialoguing with the offenders when the offended are neglected. It is unfair. It shows there is no justice and where there is no justice, there can be no peace,” he said.
Makinde also urged Christians not to return evil for evil, saying that the war can only be waged with fervent prayers.
“It is a spiritual matter, we will wage the war with prayers. Don’t forget, Christianity grows and thrives along persecution. The more they kill us, the more we multiply. The more they destroy our churches, the more elegant ones are built. We leave the matter in the hands of our Master, Jesus Christ. They cannot kill Christianity, no amount of Jihad can kill Christianity.
“ The church of God is one. Denominations cannot divide us. This is a very terrible time for Christians to be divided. If we are divided, our enemies will break us one by one and Christianity will have no voice again. Only unity is what we want as Christians in this country,” he said.