Nigerian Islamist Group Lists Conditions for Surrender

Guest Post by my Nigerian student, Alheri:

A much-dreaded Islamist sect in Nigeria, Boko Haram (which means "western education is sin") has listed their terms for a surrender of arms to the Nigerian government. For background, the sect has been responsible for dozens of bombing in the North of the country, calling for Nigeria to become an Islamist state with shariah law (yes, ignorant Americans who think that all Muslims want that, these are the bad guys you're thinking of).

Pretty secret-looking, aren't they? Masks and all...

One of their conditions is the arrest of the former governor of Borno State, a state in Northern Nigeria, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff. They also asked for compensation for all family members who were killed fighting since 2009, including their leader Mohammed Yusuf. Finally, they asked for the reconstruction of their place of worship, Markas Ibn Taimiyyah in Maiduguri, Borno State, plus the freedom to practice Islam as they used to. 

These demands were made at a press conference where the sect also stated that they would give the state government and the Federal government a period of time to act upon these demands. During this time, they promised that they would not be directly or indirectly involved in attacks, and any attack that occurs should not be linked to them, because the leadership of the sect would not give any such orders. That said, this is just a temporary armistice and that they would not surrender them.
  

Not-so-Random Alheri Thoughts:

Okay, let us get this straight, the sect is asking for compensation and the rebuilding of their place of worship?! Really? Do they ever reflect upon the thousands of lives and property that have been lost in all their attacks in the country from the bombing of the UN building in Abuja in August last year to the suicide bomb attack on a Church in Kaduna just last Sunday? The sect has caused such havoc in Nigeria that cannot be compensated. Yet, they ask for compensation from the Federal Government?

How do you compensate terrorists? That I do not understand. Perhaps, there are some government officials sponsoring the sect and all of these actions may very well be political tactics. I can only hope that things go well and that the government wins this war against Boko Haram. The sooner the sect realises that their mission to turn Nigeria, a country with half the population Christians, and the other half Muslims, into an Islamic state will NEVER be met, the better for us all.

By the way, where is Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan in all of this? He needs to take drastic action SOON.