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Tag: Chibok girls

  • Chibok girls: ‘FG’s deal with Boko Haram still on’

    Chibok girls: ‘FG’s deal with Boko Haram still on’

    Chad said it believed Nigeria’s secret deal with Boko Haram sect to free more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls would go ahead despite the breakdown of a truce and revealed that the key to the agreement was a prisoner swap.

    The accord mediated by Chad for the release of the girls seized from Chibok, Borno in April has been called into question since it was announced by the Nigerian military last week, Reuters says.

    A ceasefire supposed to be part of the agreement has been broken, and a further 25 girls were abducted this week.

    Moussa Mahamat Dago, the No. 2 official at Chad’s foreign ministry, said it appeared some Boko Haram factions were refusing to abide by the deal, brokered by the Chadian foreign minister with two representatives of the sect and two Nigerian negotiators at meetings in Chad on September 14 and 30.

    “Quite possibly those who are fighting are dissidents that even they (Boko Haram) aren’t able to control. So far, there is no reason for others to doubt this agreement,” Dago told Reuters late on Thursday in the Chadian capital N’Djamena.

    “What I can say is that those that negotiated with the Nigerian government did so in good faith. We are waiting for the next phase which is the release of the girls.”

    Dago said the two sides agreed verbally to a series of points summarised in a document he had seen, including the release of the schoolgirls and of jailed Boko Haram fighters.

    The sect, which has fought a bloody five-year revolt mostly in the northeast, has said it wants to carve out an Islamist enclave in Nigeria.

    “The starting condition of Boko Haram was the liberation of some of their members. That is the compensation,” he said, adding that the specifics on the names and number of Boko Haram fighters still to be released had not yet been agreed.

    Dago said he still expected the girls to be freed, without giving a time frame.

    The Boko Haram negotiators were no longer in Chad although they had agreed to return in October after freeing the girls to hold more talks, he added.

    The first stage of the agreement made was the release of a group of 27 Chinese and Cameroonian hostages by Boko Haram two weeks ago in northern Cameroon, he told Reuters.

    “We remain optimistic. The two sides agreed to find a negotiated solution and to show their good faith they already freed some hostages and announced a ceasefire,” the Chadian official added.

    He admitted it would be embarrassing for Chadian President Idriss Deby’s government, which has taken a leading role in security and diplomacy in Africa’s turbulent Sahel region in recent years, if the girls were not freed.

    “It would be very disappointing. We are engaged in this now. If this negotiation doesn’t succeed that would be damaging for Chad’s facilitating role,” he said.

  • Uncertainty over Chibok girls as focus shifts to Chad

    Uncertainty over Chibok girls as focus shifts to Chad

    Officials keep vigil

    Govt lied, says elder

    All eyes were on Chad yesterday as the anxiety over the fate of the schoolgirls kidnapped over six months ago grew.

    A FederalGovernment team was believed to have left for N’djamena, the Chadian capital, to continue talks with Boko Haram leaders to free the Chibok girls and end the insurgency in the Northeast.

    The meeting in Chad, is a follow-up to last weekend’s talks between the government and the sect’s representatives in Saudi Arabia.

    After that meeting, Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh announced a ceasefire. He ordered all field commanders to respect it.

    But there was no word from the leaders of the sect and then, last weekend there were attacks on some villages in Borno State. Many people were killed, leading to questions over the alleged ceasefire..

    A purported Boko Haram leader Danladi Ahmadu, told VOA’s Hausa service yesterday that he was heading for Chad to await word on when the talks would start.

    Hassan Tukur, a top aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, told VOA that there was never a meeting planned for yesterday, despite a report to the contrary from another presidential aide, Dr. Doyin Okupe.  But Tukur said the negotiations with Boko Haram are “ongoing and legitimate”.

    The government blamed some of the attacks after the ceasefire deal on “fringe” Boko Haram fighters.

    Ahmadu said attacks in Damboa on Sunday were the work of armed robbers.

    There were rumours of the movement of the girls from a location to the Chadian capital N’Djamena but no government official could confirm or deny this.

    A “ceasefire” which was expected to herald the girls’ freedom seemed to have collapsed last weekend, with troops clashing with Boko Haram fighters in Adamawa and Borno states. Many died.

    But the United States said that it would welcome the ceasefire and would join the world in hoping that the girls will be released.

    There was anxiety yesterday on whether Boko Haram will live up to its pledge or if Chadian President Idris Deby could make the deal a reality.

    For strategic reasons, it was gathered that the Presidency kept some ministers away from the deal with the insurgents.

    It was learnt that the Presidency does not want any tactical blunder on the release of the girls.

    Many foreign missions have opened desks to monitor the ongoing talks in Chad.

    A top government official said: “We are all anxiously awaiting the outcome of the talks in N’Djamena; we are eager to see the agreement being sealed.

    “I can tell you that all government officials are looking forward to Wednesday because the ceasefire and the release of Chibok girls will be a defining moment for this administration.

    “If we have the girls back, this administration would have overcome a major challenge.”

    The source said some logistics had been put in place to welcome the girls back into the country.

    “I am aware that the girls will be flown in a chartered jet to Abuja from N’Djamena once they regain freedom. We are all in upbeat mood,” the source added.

    Another source said: “We are keeping vigil because a few members of the President’s kitchen cabinet are handling this negotiation.

    “In fact, there were rumours of the girls being allegedly moved from a location to N’Djamena but a former Deputy Governor who lent credence to it could not provide any shred of evidence.

    “As the government is in suspense, the parents of the girls are also praying that the girls should be free as anticipated.”

    Foreign Minister Aminu Wali said yesterday that the government hopes to end the conflict with Boko Haram soon and win the release of the kidnapped schoolgirls.

    “I can say with some optimism, cautious optimism, that we are moving towards a situation where we’d be able to, in the very near future, to be able to get back our girls,” Wali said in Berlin, Germany.

    “There is a tremendous amount of improvement in terms of the discussions that are going on now and also the possibility of having total cessation of hostilities and at the same time bringing back the girls and also normalcy in that part of northern Nigeria.”

    Wali spoke at a news conference with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier, following government discussions on the insurgency in Nigeria as well as areas of cooperation between the two countries.

    Steinmeier said he hoped that the ceasefire would lead to the release of the girls.

    He said he and French counterpart Laurent Fabius will at the weekend visit Nigeria.

    Steinmeier said the fact that Nigeria was this week declared free of Ebola had been “one of the few rays of light in the fight against the deadly virus”.

    There were indications last night that most foreign missions have opened desks to monitor the release of the girls.

    A diplomat said: “We are as concerned as your country about the release of the girls. We are certainly following the talks in Chad.”

    The United States has said that it would welcome the ceasefire if it works.

    The Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of State, Marie Harf stated this on Monday at a briefing in Washington DC.

    In the transcript of the briefing posted on US Embassy’s site, Harf said: “We can confirm reports that a ceasefire has been announced, appears to have been put into place.

    “We would welcome that ceasefire, call on all parties both to implement and maintain such a ceasefire, and hope that such a ceasefire would herald the return of peace to the northeast. This is a region that has had far too little of that.

    “It’s our understanding that negotiations about a deal to release the girls continue. “Obviously, would join the world, I think, in hoping that these girls would be reunited with their families as soon as possible, but it’s our understanding those negotiations do continue.

    “That’s our understanding. That’s the latest from the ground.

    Asked if there was any kind of American involvement in the talks, Harf added: “I don’t believe so, but let me check. Not that I know of. But never say never; I’ll check.”

  • Chibok girls: Anxiety over Fed Govt, Boko Haram deal

    Chibok girls: Anxiety over Fed Govt, Boko Haram deal

    Parents, community, activists, others doubt deal

    Talks today in Chad

    My heart tells me to keep my fingers crossed and be prayerful, but my head tells me to just wave it away. —Chibok community leader

    If the ceasefire was real, it will be a good omen for the nation…But we should be wary of false ceasefire.—Rights activist Shehu Sani

    Doubts swept through the Chibok community yesterday over the ceasefire and imminent release of the abducted schoolgirls announced by the government at the weekend.

    Some parents of the girls in captivity, the Bringbackthegirls campaigners, Borno State Senator Ahmed Zannah, rights activist Shehu Sani, among others, have at best expressed cautious optimism.

    Doubts over the ceasefire  were strengthened by the weekend’s attacks believed to be by the sect in Borno State. Many were killed.

    Going by the terms of the said agreement, the meeting will continue today in Chad after which some of the leaders of the sect in detention will be swapped for the Chibok girls, this week.

    One of the elders of the Abuja Chibok community, Dr. Dauda Iliya questioned the truthfulness of the truce because of the weekend’s attacks.

    Iliya, a representative of the Abuja Chibok community, said he would like to believe the truce but his head told him to dismiss it.

    “My heart tells me to keep my fingers crossed and be prayerful, but my head tells me to just wave it away and to dismiss it like I know the government to tell bull’s stories.

    “I simply think the government is playing Nigerians for two reasons:  One, I have received reports that two very well-known villages in southern Borno,  one in Hawul in the village of shaffa was attacked and many people killed between Friday and Saturday.

    “Two, the second village is Lassa in Askira/Gwuba Local Government. It was also attacked between Friday night and Saturday. I think,  Kana Local government,  so with this,  why will Boko Haram be attacking villages,  killing people and destroying houses if indeed there was a truce that is number one.

    “Number two; why should the government be the one announcing the truce,  when it is the government and its army that are under attack?  I think it is the people attacking that should be announcing any kind of truce.”

    The leader of the #BringBackOurGirls advocacy, Aisha Yusufu, said: “We are hopeful, waiting and really anxious. We are just surprised that a ceasefire has supposedly been reached and people are still been killed.  Who are they having this ceasefire with if the Boko Haram doesn’t even know that there is an ongoing ceasefire?

    “For me I don’t want to lay allegations; all I want to say is that what we Nigerians want from the government is the truth, nothing but the truth. It is high time that the Nigerian government came out, to tell the people the truth, no matter how bitter it is and then we know what to do.

    “Let them tell us the truth as a nation and then collectively we know how to sort it out together,  but just lying about it or trying to politicise it will not work for us as a nation. We are hopefully waiting for Tuesday when they said that the girls could possibly be released.

    “We honestly want this to end and the girls back so that we can begin to rehabilitate them.”

    Former Education Minister Oby Ezekwesili, whose “Bring back our girls” campaign has highlighted daily protests in Abuja, told Reuters she was “cautiously optimistic”, but “extremely anxious, not knowing what the details of this ceasefire really are. If it happens, it would be the best news in decades”.

    “We were jubilating. We had every reason to be happy … but since then the ceasefire has been broken in quite a number of places already,” Lawan Abana, a parent of the one of the missing girls, told Reuters by telephone.

    He added that there were doubts about the credentials of the reported Boko Haram negotiator, Danladi Ahmadu, who was unheard of before. “Can we trust him that he can deliver on this promise of releasing the girls when he has not delivered on the promise of the ceasefire?” Abana said.

    Senator Ahmed Zannah (Borno Central) advised the Federal Government to tread with caution in implementing any ceasefire agreement with the insurgents.

    Zannah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that the Federal Government must exercise wisdom and discretion in dealing with the issue.

    He expressed doubt about the sincerity of Boko Haram on the ceasefire.

    He said: “I do not think it is true, because the Boko Haram insurgents are still attacking communities in Borno.

    “The insurgents attacked villages in both Northern and Southern Borno on Saturday.’’

    Zannah said if the ceasefire was real and sincere, the insurgents would not have attacked the villages.

    The government said the attacks may not have been Boko Haram but one of several criminal groups exploiting the chaos of its insurgency.

    “Boko Haram is deeply fractured. The Nigerian government has had a … difficult time identifying a Boko Haram representative who could make compromises and guarantee the entire group will observe them,” risk consultancy Stratfor said in a note.

    “It is quite possible that Abuja has reached an agreement with a legitimate representative of a specific cell … that holds the kidnapped schoolgirls captive,” it said at the weekend.

    Ahmed Salkida, a Nigerian journalist who was once close to Boko Haram and shared a jail cell with its founder Mohammed Yusuf in 2009, tweeted that whoever Ahmadu is, he is not a member of Boko Haram’s senior “Shura council” nor does “he speak for them, as far as I know”.

    “It’s interesting the timing comes as Jonathan is about to announce he wants to run for a second term. Is it by sheer coincidence?” All Progressives Congress (APC) spokesman Alhaji Lai Mohammed said by telephone.

    The President, Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, Comrade Shehu Sani, yesterday said there had been cautious optimism on the ceasefire.

    He said the patterns of the ceasefire were not in line with the mode of operation of the sect, adding that only the leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau, could order the release of the Chibok girls.

    He, however, said it would be a good omen for the nation if the ceasefire was real.

    Sani, who is one of the facilitators of dialogue with the sect, bared his mind on the ceasefire in  a chat with our correspondent.

    He said: “There were a lot of doubts about the ceasefire because this is not the first time. In 2012, one Abdulaziz, who claimed to be speaking on behalf of the sect,  declared ceasefire five times. A minister  confirmed that Abdulaziz was representing the group.

    “In 2013,  Mohammed Marwana also spoke on behalf of the sect and declared a ceasefire which never held.

    “In 2014, Danladi Ahmadu claimed to have negotiated a ceasefire. But the sect is saying that Danladi is a name that is unknown to the group.

    “This is not the style of the sect. All the precepts or prayers of the sect were also not part of Danladi’s speech.

    “Contrary to what Danladi said, members of the Ahlul Sunna Li Daawa Wal Jihad do not refer to themselves as Boko Haram. Such a name is alien to the group.

    Responding to a question, Sani added: “From our own experience in negotiating with this group, they had insisted on the total release of their men as a precondition for the release of the Chibok girls and ceasefire.

    “The group will not put ceasefire first before negotiating other terms. I do not think so.

    “So, the so-called talks in Chad were very doubtful. The Federal Government should beware of raising false hopes to achieve political advantage or boost the morale of the military and security agencies.”

    Sani said it was still possible to get the Chibok girls out of captivity through dialogue.

    “If the ceasefire was real, it will be a good omen for the nation because we want peace in the country; we want to put the insurgency behind us. But we should be wary of false ceasefire like the cases we had in the past.”

    Adamawa State indigenes under the aegis of Save Adamawa Communities from Terrorists (SACT) also yesterday expressed doubt about the ceasefire. It said the terrorists might be re-strategising.

    The group said in a statement issued in Kaduna at the weekend that the sect might have suffered heavily in the hands of the military and wanted to use the ceasefire to acquire more arms for deadlier attacks.

    The statement signed by its chairman, Mr. Josiah Garba, recalled the invasion and destruction of nine villages in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State and called on the Federal Government to allow people in communities being terrorised by terrorists to carry arms to defend themselves.

    The villages are  Zah, Mubang, Kingin,  Kopre, Buwarya,  Pana, Larh and  Garha.

    Garba added that the attacks had been going on since April without anyone confronting the terrorists, adding that the latest attack was in Garha where houses, including the biggest church in the area, were destroyed while many people were killed.

    “These attacks have been going on for too long without the security agents coming to our aid. Whenever we call the soldiers to tell them of what is happening in our communities, they don’t come until after the terrorists had finished their operations then they will come just to see the destruction and the bodies.

    “The terrorist normally come in broad daylight and when they come, the villagers will start running for their dear lives. Those who are unlucky are killed, houses are burnt while young boys and girls are captured and taken away.

    “Unfortunately, people who are supposed to draw attention to our plight are not saying anything about this ugly situation.

    “We have our representative in the House of Representatives, Hon. Francis Haske Hananiya representing Hong/Gombi Federal Constituency but he has never drawn attention to our predicament before the floor of the house. Even our representative in the House of Assembly, Aminu Iya Abas, has never mentioned these attacks on the floor of the Adamawa State House of Assembly.

    “As far as we, concerned, the government has just left us at the mercy of Boko Haram and it is very unfortunate. We and our property deserve to be protected by the government.

    “If the government is not ready to protect us, we should be allowed to carry arms and confront the Boko Haram. The unfortunate thing is that if you are found with a small knife, you are treated as a criminal, but they allow Boko Haram to be moving around with sophisticated weapons, killing people and destroying our property.

    “This is nonsense, if the government is not willing or is failing in its responsibility of protecting the citizenry, we should be allowed to carry arms so that we can defend ourselves.

    “Many people don’t know where their wives or their children are. That is the situation here. Everything is completely destroyed. Up till this moment, no relief material has been sent to displace people who were chased out of the homes without taking any of their belongings.

    “We are very skeptical about this so called ceasefire and we call on the government not to be deceived by the terrorist as this may be a ploy for them to acquire more arms for further attacks. Government should take adequate steps to secure our communities” the statement added.

  • Chibok girls: Why Chad led deal with Boko Haram

    Chibok girls: Why Chad led deal with Boko Haram

    Fresh facts yesterday revealed that the high number of Chadian mercenaries in the Boko Haram sect made Chad to spearhead the ceasefire with the group.

    It was also learnt that five conditions were tabled at the negotiation session for peace to reign in the North-East.

    But findings confirmed that the military was kept out of the swap deal which was mainly a political initiative.

    In deference to political authority, the military hierarchy had to key into the negotiation accepted by the presidency.

    According to a reliable source, Chad became central to the ceasefire because many of its citizens were conscripted into Boko Haram sect.

    Intelligence reports confirmed that strategic commanders of Boko Haram were living and operating from Chad.

    The source said Chad had shown little commitment to the insurgency in Nigeria until the French President François Hollande, intervened and the follow-up visit to the Francophone nation by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The source said: “The reality is that intelligence reports have shown that there are more Chadian mercenaries in Boko Haram. Also, Chad is rated as an ally of the sect because some of the strategic camps and commanders of Boko Haram are based in the Francophone nation.

    “These developments made France and the international community to mount pressure on Chad to assist Nigeria to address the insurgency in the North-East. This is why it was easier for Chad to spearhead negotiation with Boko Haram.”

    But there were indications yesterday that five conditions were tabled for the ceasefire which was announced on Friday.

    The conditions are: ceasefire by the two parties; the release of  the 219 Chibok girls; freedom for detained Boko Haram leaders and members; further talks on ending of siege on some towns and villages in the North-East; and mutual  respect of all the clauses in the negotiation terms.

    Another source added: “So far since Thursday, each of the parties had been trying to implement the ceasefire terms. This was why the Federal Government came out openly to admit the negotiation and asked the military to halt all operations in the North-East.

    “By Monday, there will be a clearer picture of the situation when the representatives of the Federal Government meet with Boko Haram facilitators in N’Djamena.”

    Findings however showed that the military was kept in the dark by the presidency because talks were “restricted to diplomatic and political levels.”

    A third source said: “The military received the ceasefire with cautious optimism. As a matter of fact, Nigerian and Cameroonian military chiefs were still perfecting operation strategies against Boko Haram at a session in Abuja when the alert on the ceasefire came.

    “In deference to political authority, the military had to fall in line. This was why all military formations were directed to stop actions against Boko Haram. The military has shown its utmost respect for democratic institutions.”

  • Waiting for Chibok girls

    Following the ceasefire agreement by the federal government and the representatives of the Boko Haram insurgents, there are indications that the over 200 abducted Chibok girls may be released soon.

    Their release, possibly in the new week,  is said to be part of the outcome of negotiations to end the insurgency in the North East part of the country which has left many dead and properties destroyed.

    This is not the first time that speculations will be rife about the release of the girls whose abduction has generated worldwide interest and concern.

    Recently, some of the girls were reportedly released and driven into the Army Barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State capital in a bus but it turned out that the report,  said to have earlier been confirmed by the Defence Headquarters was false.

    Not even the leader of the Bringbackourgirls campaign, former Education Minister, Dr Oby Ezekwesili could resist the speculation that she twitted  about it hoping that the girls will regain their freedom after months of incarceration in unimaginable circumstances.

    Hopefully the girls reported release this time around will not be yet another shattered hope,  but a possible end of the abduction saga which will for years  continue to haunt us as a nation considering the negative image the unfortunate incident has earned us.

    The girls according to the insurgents are said to be “well and alive” contrary to reports that they have been physically abused. If indeed the girls have not been viciously assaulted as reported, the emotional trauma they have been subjected to must be harrowing.

    For over six months, the young girls have been denied the comfort of their homes and care of their parents and have been held hostage for no justifiable reason.

    They are definitely not returning the same way they were taken away, but we will be too glad to have them back after the long wait that has forced their parents to declare them dead in accordance with the tradition of the Chibok community.

    It is sad that the Boko Haram terrorists resorted to abducting the innocent girls to advance whatever cause they claim to be fighting for and refused to release them despite the global outrage that greeted their action.

    Their action stands condemned and they will someday pay dearly for the crime and the agony they have subjected Nigerians to with the girls’ abduction.

    There are claims that the possible release of the girls at this time is a political ploy by the federal government to enhance the electoral chances of President Goodluck Jonathan for re- election. Whatever it is, what is important is that the girls regain their freedom and we are able to put the ugly incident behind us.

    The federal government has no choice but to ensure the release of the girls to redeem whatever is left of its image  and should be commended if it is able to pull this negotiation through and not allow similar incidents to reoccur.

    Not many approve of negotiation with terrorists but in the circumstance the federal government has found itself, any compromise to ensure the release of the girls will be worth considering.

    We can only hope that the government will not allow itself to be outwitted by the terrorists who are known not to usually honour ceasefire agreements like the one reportedly reached with them. The government need to be sure that that the terrorists are sincere about this truce after all the avoidable havoc they have wrecked and will not soon strike when we least expect.

    We can afford to give the terrorists  the benefit of doubt knowing that they have recorded some casualties in the battle against the military but we must be on the alert. They cannot be completely trusted.

    The ceasefire for the battered Boko Haram group may well be a case of he who fights and run away, living to fight another day.

  • FG hopes to secure Chibok girls’ release by Tuesday

    FG hopes to secure Chibok girls’ release by Tuesday

    The Nigeria government hopes to secure the release of over 200 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram militants latest by Tuesday, a senior source at the Presidency told Reuters on Saturday.

    He, however, declined to comment on where the transfer would take place.

    “I can confirm that the Federal Government is working hard to meet its own part of the agreement so that the release of the abductees can by effected either on Monday or latest Tuesday next week,” the source told Reuters on telephone.

  • Chibok girls: We’ve reached deal with Boko Haram — CDS

    Chibok girls: We’ve reached deal with Boko Haram — CDS

    The Federal Government yesterday struck a deal with Boko Haram on ceasefire and freedom for the 219 secondary school girls abducted by the sect in Chibok, Borno State about six months ago.

    The agreement was said to have been reached in Saudi Arabia.

    As part of the deal, some key Boko Haram leaders may regain freedom anytime next week at the same time with the abducted Chibok girls.

    The affected leaders might be moved from their detention facilities to designated locations in Chad on or before Monday.

    But military and security agencies kept the swap deal under wraps last night to avoid what a source described as a “costly slip.”

    According to the Defence Headquarters, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, announced the ceasefire at the end of a session between Nigeria and Cameroon on trans-border operation.

    A tweet by DHQ said: “While closing the coordinating conference between Nigeria and Cameroon on trans-border military operations, the  Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh,  informed the delegates that without any prejudice to the outcome of the three-day interactions and conclusions of the forum, a ceasefire agreement had been concluded between the Federal Government of Nigeria and Ahlul Sunna Li Daawa Wal Jihad.

    “Accordingly, he directed the service chiefs to ensure immediate compliance with this development in the field.

    “At the meeting was the Cameroonian Chief of Defence Staff, GCA Meka Rene Claude, leading his country’s military delegation. Service  Chiefs and senior military officers also attended the event.”

    Also, the Coordinator of the National Information Centre, Mike Omeri, who spoke alongside the spokesperson of the Defence Information unit, Chris Olukolade yesterday at a security briefing in Abuja, said President Goodluck Jonathan’s  Principal Private Secretary, Hassan Tukur,  met with the Boko Haram representative, Danladi Ahmadu and the president of Chad, Idris Deby in Saudi Arabia and  have reached a ceasefire agreement.

    He said the Chief of Defence Staff has reportedly ordered the service chiefs to comply with cease fire agreement.

    “We can confirm to you that there have been contacts between the Government and representatives of Boko Haram”

    “The discussions are essentially in relation to the general insecurity in the North East and also the need to rescue all captives of the terrorists, including the students of the Government Girls Secondary school, chibok”

    “From the discussions, they indicated their desire for and willingness to discuss and resolve all associated issues”

    “They also assured that the school girls and all other people in their captivity are all alive and well”

    “Already, the terrorists have announced a ceasefire in furtherance of their desire for peace, in this regard, the government of Nigeria has in a similar vein declared a ceasefire”

    “This is to assure Nigerians that the greater goal of this process is to ensure the return of nolmacy in the land, especially in parts of the country troubled by the activities of terrorists”

    “President Jonathan’s commitment to peace and secuyrity in Nigeria and indeed all parts of the world has been the driving force of all engagements and measures taken since the war on terror began in the country,” he said.

    A statement issued by Badeh on the ceasefire agreement during the coordinating conference on Nigeria –Camerooon Trans-Border Military Operations held at the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), Abuja yesterday reads: “Without any prejudice to the outcome of our three-day interactions and the conclusions of this forum, I wish to inform this audience that a ceasefire agreement has been reached between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Jama’atul ahlul Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad.

    “I have accordingly directed the Service Chiefs to ensure immediate compliance with the development in the field”

    Boko Haram had not made a public statement at press time.

    Reports by  the Voice of America (VOA) and British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said the negotiation involved the Chadian President, Idris Deby, and  some high-level officials of Nigeria and Cameroon.

    The BBC quoted Mallam Hassan Tukur, the Principal Secretary to President Goodluck Jonathan, as saying:  “They have assured us they have the girls and they will release them. I am cautiously optimistic.”

    While the VOA said the girls might breathe freedom on Monday, BBC quoted Tukur claiming that “arrangements for their release would be finalised at another meeting next week in Ndjamena.”

    A top military source said: “It is true that the government has entered into an agreement with the sect. Based on the political compromise, military and security agencies were advised to cease fire.

    “We have asked all the military formations to abide by the decision of the government in the interest of all. This is a positive development.”

    Asked if the military was part of the negotiation, the source added: “I think it was a political initiative, laden with diplomacy that aided military operations.”

    Another source however added: “Typical of most wars, this insurgency is about ending at the negotiation table. This is a positive development for the nation.

    “The military has welcomed it with cautious optimism.”

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the deal with Boko Haram sect actually began during the recent visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to Chad.

    It was gathered that at the instance of President Idris Deby, the President had audience with some representatives of the sect.

    At the session, it was gathered that some terms for the swap deal between the sect and some facilitators working for the Federal Government were discussed.

    The Chad talks were said to have paved the way for the mileage gained by the facilitators of the dialogue with Boko Haram.

    One of the sources privy to the negotiation said: “The swap deal gathered more momentum when the President visited Chad. This is why President Deby is playing a critical role in facilitating the conclusion of negotiation with Boko Haram.

    “At a point, some of the negotiators asked that the military and security agencies be kept out of the deal.

    “The overall gains have to do with the return of peace to the country, the  North-East and the release of the Chibok girls.”

    There were indications last night that some key Boko Haram commanders and coordinators  might be released simultaneously with the girls.

    A third source said: “Definitely, it is going to be a swap but it is too early to say how many commanders or Boko Haram members in detention might be released.

    “Do not forget that the sect had demanded the release of 19 of its commanders, but the stake can still be higher.

    “We are expecting that the swap might be simultaneous when the deal is sealed.”

    The 19 Boko Haram commanders slated  for the trade off are Awwal Albani Sultaniya; Mallam Abdullahi Damasak; Mallam Bashir; Baa Malam; Mallam Tijjani al Barnawi; Mallam Musa Moby; Mallam Awara; Mallam Zindar Zindawi; Baa Alhaji; Bana Mongono; Baraa Mallami; Sheikh Umar ibn Mustapha; Mallam Jabir Al Jjihad; Tanko al Kurd; Mallam Aradu; Abidina Janzila and Mallam Aboul Kaka.

    Prior to the latest ceasefire agreement, there had been intense talks between Boko Haram and some facilitators of the Federal Government who were coordinated by the President, Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, Comrade Shehu Sani.

    In September, the negotiation was witnessed by some officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

    The last talks in Abuja were attended by Shehu Sani;  ICRC officials; a former Minister of Information;  a Geneva-based Human Rights Activist;  a two-man delegation of Boko  Haram; two others close to the sect’s leadership; and a PDP leader.

    As exclusively reported by The Nation, the two parties agreed to meet after the October 4 Eid-el-Kabir festival on the ceasefire terms to either finalise the agreement or part ways. The 219 girls were abducted on April 14 from Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok.

    After initial doubts on the abduction, the Federal Government raised a fact-finding panel. The Chairman of the Presidential Fact-Finding Committee on the Abduction of Chibok Girls, Brig-Gen. Ibrahim Sabo (rtd), told President Goodluck Jonathan that the abduction was real, contrary to misinterpretation in some quarters.

    He also said 276 students of the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok were abducted but 219 girls were unaccounted for as at the time of submitting the report.

    He said 57 of the abducted students had been reunited with their families after escaping along the zigzag transport route taken by the insurgents.

    The Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, yesterday said he had no comment yet over the reported ceasefire between the Federal Government and Boko Haram. He said he would speak at the appropriate time.

    The governor spoke in a statement through his Special Adviser on Communication, Isa Gusau.

    The statement reads: “Hundreds of journalists, local and international, have been making inquiries following widely circulated reports about a ceasefire over Boko Haram attacks. “Governor Kashim Shettima has no comment for now regarding the issue. He would make comments at an appropriate time.

    “Governor Shettima has always believed in a tripartite approach that involves dialogue for peaceful resolution, military and economic strategies in addressing the Boko Haram problems, and he has been a strong advocate of these measures through his practical efforts and sustained public appeals at various fora, which was why he firmly supported the efforts initiated by President Goodluck Jonathan through the setting up of the Tanimu Turakiled committee on dialogue and peaceful resolution of security challenges in 2013, which worked actively and remained in force.

    “Governor Shettima is permanently committed to all genuine efforts that would bring the insurgency to an end, especially given the fact that Borno State and its people have remained the worse hit by the unfortunate killings and destructions since 2009.”

  • Chibok girls: ‘Lets intensify rescue effort’

    Chibok girls: ‘Lets intensify rescue effort’

    The Chairperson of the Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), Mrs Funmi Falana, has said there is need for the Federal Government to step up efforts to rescue the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls in Boko Haram’s captivity.

    Mrs Falana gave the advice in a statement yesterday in Lagos to mark the International Day of the Girl-Child.

    She said: “Tuesday, October 14, 2014 made it six months that the over 200 girls were abducted from their school in Chibok. Months after, the girls are still in captivity.

    “As we join the United Nations (UN) to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl-Child, we want to reiterate that the families of the abducted girls and the womenfolk all over the world demand and would continue to press for the immediate rescue of the girls, who have been victims of violence in the society.”

  • Chibok girls… Obama, Jonathan rekindle hope

    Chibok girls… Obama, Jonathan rekindle hope

    he April 15 abduction of the Government Girls Secondary School Chibok, Borno State girls yesterday got the attention of United States President Barack Obama and President Goodluck Jonathan.

    There were 219 girls taken captive by the Boko Haram sect, although yet to be confirmed reports said four of the girls might escaped. There has been no word on the others.

    President Obama, according to a statement by White House National Security Adviser Susan Rice,  has directed that the U.S. government should do everything it can to help the Nigerian government free the abducted girls and, more broadly, to combat Boko Haram in partnership with Nigeria, its neighbours and other allies.

    “This support takes many forms but the goal is singular: to dismantle this murderous group,” the White House added.

    “The United States is assisting the Nigerian government to undertake more concerted, effective and responsible actions to ensure the safe return of those kidnapped by Boko Haram, including through on-the-ground technical assistance and expanded intelligence sharing.”

    Rice added: “The United States has made clear our commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to bring the girls home safely. Since then, we have aided in the investigations, including by deploying personnel on the ground, facilitated strategic communications and provided assistance to the families.

    “These efforts are part of our broader support to Nigeria’s pursuit of a holistic counterterrorism strategy, which includes the rule of law and strengthened security institutions.

    “The United States will continue to work toward the release of all the girls who remain in captivity,” Rice said, adding, “even as we celebrate the freedom of the few who have managed to escape Boko Haram’s clutches. “And we will stand with girls everywhere who seek to achieve their full potential through education and to claim the universal rights and fundamental freedoms that are their birthright.”

    President Jonathan said in Abuja yesterday that there were no “ neat or easy answers” to bringing back the girls, but he said, nonetheless, it will take his priority attention.

    Jonathan spoke at a one-day National Conference on Environmental Security, Awareness and Enforcement in Nigeria, organised by the Uche Ekwunife- headed House Committee on Environment.

    He was represented by Minister of the Environment Mrs. Lawrencia Laraba-Mallam.

    He said: “As an elected official, I want to solve the problem of the Chibok girls. It’s priority on my to-do list as President. I refuse to pass it on to somebody else. It is my responsibility to solve the problem. Our security interests will not permit us to withhold legitimate actions that will bring back the girls. Our institutions won’t allow it either. And neither should our conscience. I seize this opportunity to call on the opposition to quit politicisation of the abducted saga and join me to solve the problem together,”

    Jonathan warned that getting the girls back may not be as easy as many think. “I agree with the Bring back our Girls campaigners, especially, for piling up pressure on us on the issue. But let me be blunt; there are no neat or easy answers to bringing back the girls. I wish there were. But I can tell you that that the wrong answer is to pretend like this problem will go away if we maintain an unsustainable staus quo and silence,” he said.

    While acknowledging the efforts of the Armed Forces in the fight against terrorism, he said the country was “indeed in a major war against Boko Haram and their Al-Queda affiliates”. “We also face a range of other challenges that will define the way Nigerians live out the rest of the 21st century.

    “We need to update and equip our security forces. We have made and are still making necessary investments in this regard. So far, we have fought the war with abiding confidence in the rule of law, due process, checks and balances and accountability, and we are beginning to see progress. This is my responsibility as President.”

    Jonathan expressed the need for the insurgents to ensure unconditional release of the girls and urged the “insurgents and their collaborators to lay down their arms and embrace peace as no threat can defeat a united and determined Nigeria”.

    He, however, knocked the National Assembly over the lawmakers’ failure to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill ( PIB).

    He said “the Committee chairman in her speech, lamented the activities of the oil companies who abuse our environment. I want to assure this gathering that there is no contradiction between sound environment and strong economy.

    “With less than nine months to the lapse of this seventh National Assembly, a more worthy goal to pursue will be the immediate passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill and to put appropriate sanctions in place through legislation so that those that pollute will know there are consequences that follow.

    “I do not pretend, for a second, that the PIB will resolve all the environmental issues as they affect oil exploration but I have no stomach for those that are no allowing us to begin serious action from somewhere. Sticking up your head in the sand might make you feel safer, but it is not going to protect you from impeding storm. Ultimately, we shall be judged as a people and as a society and as a country on where we go from here.”

    Also yesterday, the Federal Government said former President Olusegun Obasanjo is entitled to his opinion on the girls.

    Obasanjo last week said many of the girls may never be reunited with their families.

    He said the insurgents might have separated the girls, pointing out that even though he had a way of communicating with the insurgents, the government had not given him permission to intervene.

    But the coordinator of the National Information Centre, Mr Mike Omeri, told reporters in Abuja yesterday that  “ Obasanjo is a respected man and  a former president, but I must say that he is entitled  to his opinion, comments  and views.”

    “The Government of Nigeria remains undistracted, focused and committed to rescuing the girls safe and alive”

    Omeri said in the last 180 days, over 2,000 persons, including military and security personnel as well as innocent civilians and foreigners, have lost their lives to the activities of insurgents

    “The efforts at inciting the populace against the government and her agencies is, to say the least, very unfortunate. It is necessary to caution those involved that there is a clear difference between credible civil agitation and subversive preoccupation” he said

    The Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, who also spoke at the briefing, reiterated the government’s commitment towards rescuing the girls, saying part of the mission is the effort so far to degrade the capability of the insurgents.

    He said: “People are counting days; we are not counting days. People are saying that the girls are abused; it is better to have an abused child than a dead child. Many great people were abused as children but today they are great people.”

    Okupe noted that it is the effort of the government that has led to the surrendering of weapons by the Boko Haram group, which the Federal Government believes will eventually lead to the safe recovery of the girls.

     

  • Photo: Candle light service for Chibok girls

    Photo: Candle light service for Chibok girls