The Federal Government, on Tuesday, received a message from the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, asking for dialogue.
President Goodluck Jonathan had offered to
negotiate with the group recently, adding, however, that the group would
have to identify itself before talks could commence.
A Nigerian Television Authority Network
News monitored at 9 pm on Tuesday said the sect indicated its readiness
for talks via a video tape brought to the station by two masked men.
Although the station played the audio of
the tape, the person who made the position of the sect known, speaking
in Hausa, was not shown.
The person also gave the names of the negotiators appointed by the group to talk on its behalf.
He said, “On behalf of myself and my
organisation, we hereby confirm and accept the statement made by Mr.
President (Goodluck Jonathan). We have people we respect and trust to
mediate between us and the government.
“These persons are Sheik Abubakar Gemuno,
Dr Shettima Mongunu, Alhaji Bukar Ibrahim, Alhaji Junadu Idris and a
peace broker who is also our mother Barrister Aisha Al Wakil.
“The decision taken by these men (members)
can bring a change to the entire situation. Their word is our word. We
trust and respect them.”
Attempts to get the reaction of the Special
Adviser to the President on Media Affair, Dr. Rueben Abati, on the
telephone failed as he did not pick his call.
Also, one of the named negotiators, Bukar
Ibrahim, a serving senator, did not respond to a text message sent to
his GSM line on the matter. Repeated calls made to his phone were also
not answered.
THE PUNCH, however, gathered that a
breakaway faction of the sect, which had reportedly denounced the main
group for the increasing number of Muslim deaths in the sect’s attacks
might be behind the move.
On Tuesday, Boko Haram launched multiple
bomb attacks on the 1 Division of the Nigerian Army in Kaduna, hours
before the national television aired the video allegedly sent by the
group.
A spokesperson of the group who spoke to
journalists after the attack claimed the attacks on behalf of the group,
saying, “We [carried out the attack] and Alhamdullahi, we succeeded and
this is just the beginning of our series of attacks. Allah is with us,
Nigerians should expect more than what they are seeing. All the plans
of government will failed against us.”
Meanwhile, army sources on Tuesday said soldiers on Monday killed eight members of Boko Haram in a night raid in Kano.
Source: PUNCH
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