We’re Ready To Negotiate With Boko Haram – Presidency
We’re Ready To Negotiate With Boko Haram – Presidency
The Federal Government on Friday July 3, 2015 said that its doors are open to negotiate with the Boko Haram insurgents to find a lasting solution to the security crisis in the nation.
The government, however, hinged the possibility of doing so on the willingness of the sect.
The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, stated this during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
According to him, the government did not rule out negotiations with the sect if that would put an end to the group’s activities, lamenting that the insurgents had attacked so many villages and killed scores of people.
He said: “These were very vicious attacks. People were killed in scores and it’s so sad.”
Buhari had during his inauguration speech said he had launched a strategy to deal with the sect by relocating the military headquarters to Maiduguri, Borno State.
On how this would work, Adesina said, “This is going to work. There are machineries being put in place. It’s going to work.
“The recent killings by the sect were meant to break our resolve, to weaken it, but that will stop. It remains a priority to him (Buhari) to deal with the group.
“You will notice that his first two weeks of administration were dedicated to tackling the insurgency. He visited Chad and Niger Republics and the following week, the Presidents of those countries also visited him in Abuja.
“The President of Benin Republic and the Defence Minister of Cameroon visited him; machinery is being put in place and once we’re through, we will see the end of the group. “The target time for the deployment of the multinational force is July ending; that is in a couple of weeks.”
On if the government was considering negotiations with the insurgent group, Adesina answered in the affirmative.
He said: “If they are willing, why not? You know attempts have been made for negotiations in the past and they didn’t work.
