AMIDST doubts as to whether the purported ceasefire declared by the Boko Haram insurgents would hold, the Federal Government on Wednesday disclosed why the Islamic sect opted for cessation of hostilities.
Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North and Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki revealed to State House correspondents in Abuja that the group took the decision following their conclusion that the Federal Government was sincere in the search for dialogue.
Confident that Boko Haram would not go back on their directive to members to cease fire which he said was captured on tape, he said they took government’s sincerity into consideration as well as having convinced themselves that they were not being lured into a trap by the committee.
According to him, “basically, they took into account, one; the sincerity of the committee which by necessary implication also, the sincerity of the President (Goodluck Jonathan) regarding resolving the issue of insecurity in the North.
“Number two, also unlike their thinking that the committee was meant to serve as a trap for them, they also realised that not only is the committee very sincere, government and indeed Mr. President is also very sincere about the whole discussion.
“They also took into account the fasting of the month of Ramadan which is on and felt that they should give peace a chance so that our Muslim sisters and brothers will be able to perform their religious obligation this month without any harassment, without any fear of any bomb exploding and any firing at them while they are in their place of worship.”
Turaki disclosed that the framework for the ceasefire was still being worked out before the agreement would be signed after which details would be made public, saying, “We are still working on the framework, where we will sign an agreement and we will make that public where ever and whenever we agree on the time and place.”
He added: “It is something that will be done openly and transparently for everybody to know that indeed not only have we been speaking with the right people but that there has been a lot of good faith on both sides of the divide.”
The Minister was confident that Boko Haram would not disown the ceasefire as has happened in the past, pointing out that the man who disclosed the ceasefire agreement was the number two man in the Boko Haram hierarchy and government has no reason to doubt that he was speaking for their leader, Mallam Abubakar Shekau.
Speaking further, the Committee chairman said: “When a minister of the Federal Government speaks on behalf of government you wouldn’t say that you must see the President or the Vice President there. We have spoken with somebody who is second in command as far as Boko Haram is concerned and he has informed the media that he has been discussing with us with full knowledge and authority of Imam Abubakar Shekau and so we have no cause to doubt him.
“We have done checks on him, just as they have done checks on us also and we have realised that yes, we are dealing with the right people and with the proper leadership of the organisation.”
On the duration of the ceasefire, he was hopeful that it would be permanent as there was no basis for it to be rescinded.
“Of course it is not something that is done for a specific period of time, it is something that should be permanent. As far as we are concerned, it is something that has been agreed and I don’t think there will be any basis for anybody rescinding on the agreement,” he said.
Source: Tribune
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