Boko Haram extends olive branch

Indications emerged on Tuesday that the terrorist group Boko Haram are willing to make peace and stop the carnage in the north east part of the country that has killed thousands of people and destroyed property worth billions of naira.

The Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) said on Tuesday, that some members of the terrorist group have contacted it to initiate a dialogue process with the Federal Government on their behalf.

The terrorists have reportedly made several calls to the CCC claiming that hundreds of their members who were tired and now have contrary opinions to the destructive and murderous activities of the terrorist organisation are willing to lay down their arms.

Making the disclosure in Abuja yesterday, CCC Executive Secretary, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (rtd), said: “The efforts by some members of the group to get across to the Centre and the discussions we have had, have been encouraging. We have taken measures also to ascertain the genuineness or otherwise of these persons.

“We believe they are ready for genuine dialogue. However, discussions are still ongoing and nothing concrete has been arrived at, but it is an opportunity to interact with what I call insiders in the Boko Haram group.”

While pursuing the military option frontally, President Muhammadu Buhari, during his recent trip to the United States of America, had said he is open to dialogue with genuine members of the group.

Commodore Anas, who also spoke on sundry national issues including cattle rustling, National Assembly crisis, pipeline vandalism, kidnapping, armed robbery and Radio Biafra among others, said he and his team were already in the process of facilitating a meeting with relevant government agencies for the much awaited dialogue.

His words: “The Boko Haram challenges have continued to become an intractable crisis situation to our nation. Recently, Governor Kashim Shetima of Borno stated that ‘more than three million innocent Nigerians from Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and other parts of Nigeria live in deep agony, having lost their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, other relations and neighbours after being brutally attacked by members of Boko Haram.

Read also: Buhari gives deadline for defeat of Boko Haram

“Some prominent Nigerians have in recent times canvassed the idea of dialogue with Boko Haram. The option of dialogue, according to them, at the moment, provides a leeway for not only safely rescuing the abducted Chibok school girls alive but also possibly bringing to an end, the orgy of violence unleashed on innocent Nigerians by the group.

“Considering the unspeakable atrocities which the group has visited on Nigeria and Nigerians, this option is no doubt a hard sell. However, the recent statement of President Muhammadu Buhari on government’s readiness to negotiate with credible members of the sect has rekindled hope for dialogue.

“The Centre views this gesture as good because it has opened a window of opportunity for dialogue for these insurgents that are willing and ready to lay down their arms. This position is predicated on calls made to the Centre by some members of the Boko Haram requesting for genuine and comprehensive dialogue that could lead to hundreds of them coming out to renounce their membership”.

Towards this end, Commodore Anas said: “From discussions held so far, the members seem to be speaking on behalf of a cross section of the group. They expressed willingness to come forward to make certain proposals on behalf of other members of the group. If we pursue this line, I believe something positive will come out.

“The Centre, however, suggests that such dialogue should be done with every sense of caution and responsibility bearing in mind the previous disappointments that attended attempts at negotiations.”

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Meanwhile, United States Congressman, Darrel Edward Issa, has disclosed that the terrorists could be getting their funding from illicit trade of oil and called on the Nigerian government to end corruption in the sector to address the insurgency.

Mr Issa, made this disclosure when he led a United States Congressional delegation to a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, at the US Embassy.

“As long as billions of dollars in oil is being sold, you have a black market that funds many things. Boko Haram can be a clandestine beneficiary of that money too. Some of these areas are within the power of the Nigerian government. So, when they end corruption they may also reduce the flow of that kind of money that goes into sponsoring terrorism,” he said, adding that the US government is ready to assist Nigeria in any capacity”.

Issa, who spoke alongside other congress delegates, said nothing in the current U.S. law prevented it from giving Nigeria the necessary support in the fight against Boko Haram.

“Nothing on the current U.S. law prevents full cooperation and technical support or training for the Nigerian military and for all the departments of government. Nothing in the law prevents the U.S. Agency for International Development from its full engagement throughout Nigeria. Nothing in the law will stop the U.S. from providing any and all assistance to the Nigerian military,” he said.

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