The federal government yesterday proscribed all ethnic militia and violent youth groups in the country and ordered that those found culpable in the violence that trailed the 2011 general elections would be prosecuted.
The existing ethnic militia, which the federal government outlawed for having political undertone, include: Boko Haram, Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Briafia (MASSOB) among others.
It also approved the establishment of special election offences tribunal to try electoral offenders in the 2011 general elections and future elections in the country.
It directed the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the federation to work with the Inspector General of Police to come up with the method of proscription, review all laws that relate to small fire arms and ensure that those found guilty of 2011 post election violence are brought to book.
The decision was taken at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting after President Goodluck Jonathan presented the white paper on the Sheikh Ahmed Lemu committee report on the post-election violence that trailed the 2011 presidential polls.
The president had set up a white paper committee which was chaired by Ms. Ama Pepple, the minister of Housing and Development to make appropriate recommendations to government on the Lemu panel report.
Briefing State House Correspondents after the FEC meeting which lasted up to 7:00pm yesterday, Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku alongside Pepple said the proscription of the ethnic militia was contained in the white paper which was adopted by the council.
Maku said, “Council also took a look at the circumstances of what happened and the fact that in this country during this democratic dispensation we have had incidences where office seekers, particularly election office seekers, specialised youth groups that run like militia and these groups from all security reports sometimes, are involved in the escalation of violence.