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| Reuben Abati |
Apparently not able to curb Boko Haram insurgence in Nigeria, the Presidency on Monday confirmed that
it had commenced dialogue with the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram. It
however said that the dialogue was not the type envisaged by Nigerians.
“I can confirm to you that talks are
ongoing at the background. But the talks are not the kinds being
envisaged by Nigerians,” the Special Adviser to the President on Media
and Publicity, Reuben Abati, told our correspondent in Abuja.
Abati added, “I know that some Nigerians
are expecting that a venue should be chosen and a banner will be placed
there indicating that the Federal Government is holding dialogue with
the group there.
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| BH |
“That is not the kind of talks we are
talking about here. The ongoing talk is a back channel one in which
those who know members of the group are talking with them on behalf of
the government.”
The sect, among others asked for
compensation for its killed members; that its demolished mosque be
rebuilt; that its members in custody be released; and that the dialogue
venue should be in Saudi Arabia.
It spoke through Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz, the second-in-command to its leader, Abubakar Shekau.
Abdulaziz named a former Head of State,
Muhammadu Buhari; Dr. Shettima Monguno; a former Yobe State Governor,
Bukar Ibrahim; Ambassador Gaji Galtimari; and Aisha Alkali Wakil, and
her husband, Alkali as “trusted” Nigerians it would be ready to
negotiate with.
Buhari has since rejected the offer.
However it has been revealed that the Federal Government is at the crossroads on how to
hold a successful dialogue with the sect which is said to have been
factionalised. But it was learnt that the President had ruled out
dialogue with Boko Haram in Saudi Arabia.
A top security source told our
correspondent that, “While it is true that the government is reaching
out to the sect, the fact that there are various factions of the group
is bringing confusion.
“There is concern that the dialogue may
not yield the desired result. Even now, attacks are going on in spite of
the peace moves by the group.”
