also called Boko Haram, has named the former Head of State and
presidential candidate of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC,
General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), among six prominent northerners, to
mediate between the group and the Federal Government.
The Federal Government in a statement by Dr. Reuben Abati,
Presidential Spokesman, Thursday, welcomed the move.
Boko Haram, however, said that for the group to observe ceasefire, the
Federal Government must heed its demand by arresting and prosecuting
the former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.
Gen. Buhari
Governor Ibrahim Shettima of Borno State also, Thursday, said security
agencies should be allowed to do their job on those they suspect are
sponsors or sympathisers of the Boko Haram sect.
Shettima told state house correspondents after a meeting of the
National Economic Council that the security challenge in the country
required the efforts of all Nigerians to overcome.
Meanwhile, spokesman of the group, Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulazeez, who
doubles as the Second-in-Command (Amir) to their leader, Imam Abubakar
Shekau, made the group's intention known in a tele-conference with
journalists in Maiduguri, Thursday.
Mediators
Abdulazeez said other people, who could mediate with the government if
its conditions were met, include Dr. Shettima Ali Monguno, former Yobe
State governor, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Ambassador Gaji Galtimari and
Hajia Aisha Wakil and her husband, Alkali Wakil.
Dialogue venue
He insisted, however, that such dialogue must not take place in
Nigeria, but Saudi Arabia.
According to him, the choice of Saudi Arabia was informed by the
insincerity of the Nigeria government for dialogue and its betrayal in
the past.
Abdulazeez insisted that for the group to ceasefire completely, the
government must not only apprehend, but prosecute Senator Modu Sheriff
according to the laws of the land as well as compensate members of the
group and rebuild their places of worship destroyed during 2009
uprising, which led to the alleged murder of their leader, Mohammed
Yusuf.
Conditions for ceasefire
The Boko Haram spokesman further stressed that, all their members, who
were arrested and are under the custody of security agencies must be
released immediately, just as their wives and children who were
displaced following the crises should be rehabilitated into the
society to allow room for the much talked about dialogue with the
Federal Government.
Commenting on the series of recent killings and destruction of
property in Maiduguri, Abu Abdulazeez dissociated Boko Haram from the
action, saying such attacks were not only politically-motivated, but
carried out by those seeking power in the Borno Emirate council or in
government.
He stressed that recent killings and destructions in Maiduguri were
against the ideology of the sect, which he said was fighting the cause
of Allah.
Abdulazeez also said the burning of old and newly-constructed primary
schools witnessed across the state were not carried out by the sect,
insisting that they were perpetrated by aggrieved politicians who were
denied contracts by the state government.
Last February, the group had also nominated Monguno, Bukar Ibrahim,
Aisha Wakil and Jinadu Idris as part of a team to mediate between it
and the Federal Government, but the negotiation never got off.
Buhari reacts
Thursday, was, however, the first time the group would be proposing
Gen. Buhari as part of a mediation team between it and the Federal
Government.
Buhari, who returned to Kaduna from Daura, Katsina State, yesterday
evening, said he was yet to be formally contacted on the development.
Buba Galadima, an associate of the former Head of State speaking on
behalf of the General said: "His first reaction is that he has not
heard about this news and nobody has contacted him.
"He said he wouldn't want to say anything on this matter that has not
yet been authenticated, but he remains prayerful that peace and
tranquility will return to this country."
Sheriff's words
Meanwhile, Sheriff, who spoke in Abuja on the issue of the involvement
of politicians with Boko Haram, said: "I think it is within the realm
and the responsibility of the security agencies to unearth the truth.
"I am more of a developmental politician and I am more interested in
addressing the core issues that make our society vulnerable to the
antics of religious bigots and all sorts of misfits that are
indoctrinating our young ones to these things.
"I don't want to dabble into the realm of the security agencies
neither do I want to respond to allegations and accusations from any
quarter.
"But it is the responsibility of security agencies to unearth those
behind Boko Haram."
A veteran journalist Dele Giwa said an evil done by man to man will be
rewarded if not now then later, if not by man then certainly by God.
But the day of evil over good is only temporary.
"I think the problem at hand goes beyond politics. The underlying
factor is poverty. The most important thing is how we can resolve this
problem and restore harmony, peace and how to eradicate endemic
poverty which is the underlying factor of the whole crisis.
"I want to solicit for the media not to dwell on sensationalism but
proper conflict resolution and move our society forward. Its pains me
if a single person is killed by Boko Haram, when innocent souls are
lost.
"Its sheer hooliganism. Its sheer madness for anybody to burn a place
of worship. These are the issue agitating my mind and I don't want to
dwell on politics for now."