Boko Haram: Security operatives warn FG over dialogue

•Say offer not from sect
Indications emerged last night in Abuja that security agencies in the country have started mounting pressure on the Federal Government to ignore the offer of a ceasefire by the Boko Haram Islamist sect, describing the offer as phoney and selfish.
The security services are said to be treading with “serious caution” on the offer which is seen in security circles as a grand deception.
Sunday Mirror investigations revealed that although the government is keen on negotiating with the group, security agencies in the country are of the belief that the offer did not emanate directly from the sect. A security source in Abuja said although he learns that the sect is ready for a ceasefire, the purported offer by one Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulazeez “is nothing other than mere fabrications”.
On November 1, the leadership of the Jama’atul Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, also called Boko Haram, had purportedly named the former Head of State and presidential candidate of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, General Muhammadu Buhari among six prominent northerners, to mediate between the group and the Federal Government.
Spokesman of the group, Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulazeez, who claimed to be the Second-in-Command (Amir) to their leader, Imam Abubakar Shekau, was said to have made the group’s intention known in a tele-conference with journalists in Maiduguri.
A top security source in Abuja who said Abdulaziz is unknown to the media, said even if Abul Qaqa, the sect’s spokesman has been killed by security agents, the new sect spokesman would still have preferred to go by the name of the deceased comrade. “Why did he not call for the implementation of Shariah law across Nigeria, a long-term demand of the sect? And why did he choose to speak in English which is not the usual language adopted by the sect?
“The self-proclaimed leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau, had before now loathed the government so much that he said the group was not interested in talks with the government and would never be. So, why the sudden change of mind? These are some of the questions that we are trying to get fool-proof answers to before we can tell you what we are up to next”, said the source.
A security expert and former Director in the State Security Service, Barrister Mike Ejiofor also urged the Federal Government to be wary of the offer by the sect.
According to him, terrorism in Nigeria has now become an industry and the government would have to tread with caution in the way it welcomes such demands. “You will recall the previous offers by the Boko Haram. Now, there are two angles to look at on why the dialogue failed: it is either that the offer was made by fake Boko Haram members or by bonafide members who were not authorised to do so, and by mediators who did not enjoy the confidence of the sect”, he said.
According to him, the recent offer was made by a man who does not enjoy the confidence of the sect. “Abu Mohammed has been going under different names to make the same offer and he does not have the confidence of Boko Haram leaders.
He said: “Boko Haram has become an industry which some people now use to selfishly enrich themselves. Government should be wary of such dubious people who just want to use the sect’s name to defraud the government. On May 1, the guy came as Mallam Abu Mohammed and claimed to be Shekau’s second in command. It is just a scam. On May 13, an offer was made by the same man. Before then, on February 7, same offer was made and was sent to the Nigeria Television Authority NTA only for Boko Haram to later dismiss the tape. Government should discountenance all these people until they get the real sect leaders. Besides, among those reportedly mentioned by Boko Haram, only Buhari has come out to dissociate himself from the sect. Where are others? It is just a scam”, he stated.
Meanwhile, recent bomb and gun attacks in parts of the Northern state specifically, Kano, Kaduna and Borno are justifying the doubts by some northern leaders that the proposed ceasefire suggested by militants of the Boko Haram sect to pave way for dialogue that will address the political situation in the North will end up an exercise in futility and the decision of former Head of State and leader of the Congress for Progressive Change CPC, General Mohammadu Buhari to back out from the exercise he was expected to play the role of chief mediator has also added salt to injury.
Hence, scepticism has continued to trail the declaration of the extremist group that it was ready for dialogue, especially with its choice of Saudi Arabia as venue for such meeting.
Former civilian governor of old Kaduna State, Lawal Kaita said” it is a welcome development that should bring some relief to the people; it’s a good omen because peace is better than conflict which impedes national and economic growth of a country. I have confidence in the calibre of people listed in the dialogue, and I’m sure of success in the renewed effort.
Another northern leader, Bashir Tofa who was presidential candidate on the platform of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), said the parties involved in the negotiation must ensure sincerity, adding that commitment plays a vital role in the exercise. There must be immediate ceasefire as no meaningful negotiation can take place with killings going on, there is no reason why this time around we won’t succeed if we put our acts together”.
Speaking further, he said “ the team must be composed of trusted people approved by the parties involved in order to avoid the kind of suspicion that rocked previous efforts, government should accept full responsibility for financial implications of all the damages suffered by the people throughout the period of the conflict in form of compensation, including the dead victims. Government must also grant unconditional amnesty to the sect, Nigerian all over the world should pray for its success”.
However, as the withdrawal of General Buhari continues to generate concern, Northern leader, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai and some southern political leaders have thrown their weight behind General’s decision to back out from the proposed dialogue, an action which has attracted war of words between the CPC and the presidency with the government insisting that it was General Buhari’s call for violence over alleged rigging of the last presidential election in favour of President Goodluck Jonathan and the People Democratic Party that sparked off violence leading to the loss of lives and property in the North, and by implication, the emergence of the Boko Haram insurgency in the region.