We’re already negotiating with B’Haram, says Buhari
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has finally laid to rest the speculations regarding whether or not the Federal Government would negotiate with Boko Haram, as the president yesterday, in Paris, the French capital, confirmed that talks with the dreaded Islamic terrorists had, in fact, begun.
Buhari, who stated this while responding to questions from members of the Nigerian community in France under the auspices of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), said the decision was taken in view of the need to secure the release of over 200 schoolgirls kidnapped at the Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.
He said his administration was worried by the continued stay of the girls in the hands of their captors and would work tirelessly to get them released.
The president noted that the unfortunate incident has attracted global attention and sympathy within Nigeria, a situation the Federal Government could not afford to treat with levity.
His words: “The issue of Chibok girls has occupied our minds and because of the international attention it drew and the sympathy through out the country and the world, the government is negotiating with some of the Boko Haram leadership.”
President Buhari noted that government had to first identify genuine members of the sect so that it would not make the mistake of engaging the wrong persons.
“It is a very sensitive development in the sense that first we have to establish: Are they genuine leaders of the Boko Haram? That is number one. Number two, what are their terms? The first impression we had was not very encouraging.”
The President said one the conditions given by the group was to release one of its members who has been strategic in developing Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs), a demand that government will not accept.
“They wanted us to release one of their leaders who is a strategic person in developing and making Improvised IEDs that is causing a lot of havoc in the country by blowing people in churches, mosques, marketplaces, motor parks and other places. But it is very important that, if we are going to talk to any body, we have to know how much he is worth.
According to him, “Let them bring all the girls and then, we will be prepared to negotiate, I will allow them to come back to Nigeria or to be absolved in the community. We have to be very careful, the concern we have for the Chibok girls, one only imagine if they got a daughter there between 14 and 18 and for more than one and a half year, a lot of the parents who have died would rather see the graves of their daughters rather than the condition they imagine they are in.”
He added: “This has drawn a lot of sympathy though out the world, that is why this government is getting very hard in negotiating and getting the balance of those who are alive.”
President Buhari told Nigerians in Diaspora that his administration would do everything to improve the state of the economy through provision of infrastructure in critical sectors.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, had in July this year confirmed the willingness of government to engage the sect if they were ready.
Adesina, who lamented that the insurgents had attacked many villages and killed scores of peoples, said the Federal Government was not ruling out negotiations with the sect if it would put an end to the activities of the group.
Nigerian Army spokesman, Colonel Sani Usman, was reported in the media as saying that members of the terror group are surrendering “en masse” and that the regional offensive is recording success against the militants.
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14 Comments
Waoh, it took PMB less than two weeks to inform of his intention to dialogue with Boko Haram, identify their leaders, set up machineries and commenced dialogue with them. Mr. President, seems to me you knew the RIGHT PEOPLE to talk with all along. Nigerians are NOT fools, we are intelligent ooooo.
Over Two Hundred and Thirty SS3 STUDENTS in one school, waoh. My assumption (right or wrong): 200 students SS2; 200 students SS1; 230 students JS3; 200 students JS2 and another 200 students JS1. TOTAL = ONE THOUSAND PLUS.
Somebody should please check the school’s past record with WAEC and NECO and make it public. This might put so many speculations and mysteries to rest.
God bless Nigeria.
PMB and boko Haram……..Something is fishy. I suspect them
Waoh, talk about killing two birds with a stone.
Kidnap of chibok girls helped dent and drive away the previous administration. Now ‘negotiating’ with the abductors to ‘rescue’ the girls will serve as an excuse to reintegrate terrorists into the community.
Talk about reward for job weldone.
Like seriously? So now boko haram has representatives and PMB shamelessly confessed to have been in touch with them. People who have killed thousands of innocent nigerians….. Common PMB you can do better we aint fools
Buhari should head the negotiating team hence he has already makeup his mind to allow the terrorists to come bank to Nigeria, and re-integratie them into the islamisme states community.
PMB WE ARE SUSPECTING YOU SO YOU KNEW THEM (B-HARAM) SINCE AND YOU ALLOW THEM TO FINSH NIGERIANS OGA SIR YOU ARE OUR NUMBER ONE SUSPECT
Interesting development in the life of our peolpe. We are watching and please keep us updated on the progress of this negotiation with killers of the innocents.
All Nigerians will be right to be suspicious of a man who promised to make our country ungovernale and now claims to be in negotiation with the tool with which our nation reeled in anguished losses of a host of our people. We are watching and I take this upportunity to urge the Nigerian Guardian to keep us all posted with the progress of ‘these Negociations’. No one is supprised that Buhari is in negociation with BH.
I have never been an advocate of negotiating with terrorists and Boko Haram should not be different… They are murderers; abductors; arsonists and rapists. There should be no negotiation until total capitulation and destruction of this evil group of people. Go after them and destroy them. No room for sentiment………..
GMB Secret romance with Boko harams shall soon be exposed,he is negotiating with those idiots?we hope option of financial amnesty shall never arise,even the United states,Britain,Russians,France ,or Israel have never accepted negotiation with terrorist,Buhari is digging a grave for himself,which will certainly consume Buhari Mohammedu of Daura
Waoh! Is it possible that Mr Buhari is talking to himself? Afterall, was he not identified by BH as negotiator on their behalf?
You know better than many Nigerians Mr. President. What we have so far is nothing but disjointed incrementalism.
You are right. I remember. Please remind Nigerians, let them know that our President is talking with his friends
“An attack on Boko Haram is an attack on the North”. General Buhari
We will review and take appropriate action.