Nigeria moots amnesty for Boko Haram Islamist rebels

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has set up a panel to look into the possibility of granting an amnesty to the Islamist militant group Boko Haram. The move came after religious and political leaders said the military approach did not solve the violence. Mr Jonathan previously rejected any amnesty offer, saying the rebels were "ghosts" whose demands were not known. Hundreds of people have been killed since Boko Haram fighters stepped up their campaign in recent years. The new panel will include senior military representatives and has two weeks to come up with its recommendations, according to unnamed presidential sources. The board is tasked with considering the feasibility of granting an amnesty to Boko Haram members, and recommending modalities for implementing such a step. Appeasement?

President Jonathan made the announcement after reportedly holding talks with religious and political leaders from the country's north, considered Boko Haram's stronghold. This is an apparent about-turn for the leader, the BBC's Will Ross, in the Nigerian city of Lagos, reports. It is not yet clear if he is genuinely considering an amnesty or whether he is simply trying to appease his detractors in the north, he adds. continued