Chibok girls: Why past negotiations failed– Sani

Senator Shehu Sani has hailed the Federal Government’s move to negotiate with Boko Haram over the abducted Chibok girls but advised that the government must go to the negotiation table with a clear mind that it would need to make concessions.

He said this was necessary because efforts at negotiation in the past failed because the previous administration was not ready to make concessions even when it had already been agreed.

The activist turned lawmaker added that the negation was necessary to particularly free the abducted Chibok girls and other persons kidnapped by the insurgents as well as creating a room for ceasefire and further dialogue.

“The last administration was not ready to release some of the insurgents in its custody in exchange for the Chibok girls.

“We even reached a point of exchange when at the last point the government changed its mind based on security report received from security agencies.

“What I am saying is, you cannot achieve anything when negotiating if you are not ready to make concession.

Read also: FG begins negotiations with Boko HaramSenator Shehu Sani has hailed the Federal Government’s move to negotiate with Boko Haram over the abducted Chibok girls but advised that the government must go to the negotiation table with a clear mind that it would need to make concessions.

He said this was necessary because efforts at negotiation in the past failed because the previous administration was not ready to make concessions even when it had already been agreed.

The activist turned lawmaker added that the negation was necessary to particularly free the abducted Chibok girls and other persons kidnapped by the insurgents as well as creating a room for ceasefire and further dialogue.

“The last administration was not ready to release some of the insurgents in its custody in exchange for the Chibok girls.

“We even reached a point of exchange when at the last point the government changed its mind based on security report received from security agencies.

“What I am saying is, you cannot achieve anything when negotiating if you are not ready to make concession.

Read also: FG begins negotiations with Boko HaramSenator Shehu Sani has hailed the Federal Government’s move to negotiate with Boko Haram over the abducted Chibok girls but advised that the government must go to the negotiation table with a clear mind that it would need to make concessions.

He said this was necessary because efforts at negotiation in the past failed because the previous administration was not ready to make concessions even when it had already been agreed.

The activist turned lawmaker added that the negation was necessary to particularly free the abducted Chibok girls and other persons kidnapped by the insurgents as well as creating a room for ceasefire and further dialogue.

“The last administration was not ready to release some of the insurgents in its custody in exchange for the Chibok girls.

“We even reached a point of exchange when at the last point the government changed its mind based on security report received from security agencies.

“What I am saying is, you cannot achieve anything when negotiating if you are not ready to make concession.

Read also: FG begins negotiations with Boko HaramSenator Shehu Sani has hailed the Federal Government’s move to negotiate with Boko Haram over the abducted Chibok girls but advised that the government must go to the negotiation table with a clear mind that it would need to make concessions.

He said this was necessary because efforts at negotiation in the past failed because the previous administration was not ready to make concessions even when it had already been agreed.

The activist turned lawmaker added that the negation was necessary to particularly free the abducted Chibok girls and other persons kidnapped by the insurgents as well as creating a room for ceasefire and further dialogue.

“The last administration was not ready to release some of the insurgents in its custody in exchange for the Chibok girls.

“We even reached a point of exchange when at the last point the government changed its mind based on security report received from security agencies.

“What I am saying is, you cannot achieve anything when negotiating if you are not ready to make concession.

Read also: FG begins negotiations with Boko Haram

“We should work on that to at least get the Chibok girls out of harm’s way and out of danger,” he said on Thursday in Kaduna.

Besides making concessions, the Senator also advised the Federal Government to ensure that the negotiating team is made up of credible people

“We need credible personalities who have some level of recognition or respect with the insurgents and a second team to oversee the terms of agreement to their full implementation.

“These are very much necessary to achieve success and put an end to insurgency.

“But we must make it very clear that we will not in any way surrender our sovereignty to any terror group.

“We will not concede any territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to any insurgent group, and we will not in any way jettison our secular principles as a democratic state.

“If these caveats are clear then we are all out for negotiations,” he said.

“We should work on that to at least get the Chibok girls out of harm’s way and out of danger,” he said on Thursday in Kaduna.

Besides making concessions, the Senator also advised the Federal Government to ensure that the negotiating team is made up of credible people

“We need credible personalities who have some level of recognition or respect with the insurgents and a second team to oversee the terms of agreement to their full implementation.

“These are very much necessary to achieve success and put an end to insurgency.

“But we must make it very clear that we will not in any way surrender our sovereignty to any terror group.

“We will not concede any territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to any insurgent group, and we will not in any way jettison our secular principles as a democratic state.

“If these caveats are clear then we are all out for negotiations,” he said.

“We should work on that to at least get the Chibok girls out of harm’s way and out of danger,” he said on Thursday in Kaduna.

Besides making concessions, the Senator also advised the Federal Government to ensure that the negotiating team is made up of credible people

“We need credible personalities who have some level of recognition or respect with the insurgents and a second team to oversee the terms of agreement to their full implementation.

“These are very much necessary to achieve success and put an end to insurgency.

“But we must make it very clear that we will not in any way surrender our sovereignty to any terror group.

“We will not concede any territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to any insurgent group, and we will not in any way jettison our secular principles as a democratic state.

“If these caveats are clear then we are all out for negotiations,” he said.

“We should work on that to at least get the Chibok girls out of harm’s way and out of danger,” he said on Thursday in Kaduna.

Besides making concessions, the Senator also advised the Federal Government to ensure that the negotiating team is made up of credible people

“We need credible personalities who have some level of recognition or respect with the insurgents and a second team to oversee the terms of agreement to their full implementation.

“These are very much necessary to achieve success and put an end to insurgency.

“But we must make it very clear that we will not in any way surrender our sovereignty to any terror group.

“We will not concede any territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to any insurgent group, and we will not in any way jettison our secular principles as a democratic state.

“If these caveats are clear then we are all out for negotiations,” he said.

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