FG-Boko Haram Deal is Fraud - There is no cease Fire until Shekau talks

A former Director in the Department of State Service, Mr. Mike Ejiofor, told SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday that the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North should have said it had an understanding with some members of Boko Haram, and not with the sect, as an organisation.

He said, “The statement made by the Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, who is the chairman of the amnesty committee, that they have reached an agreement with the insurgents, is unfortunate and premature. How can he convince Nigerians that they have reached an agreement with these people when they are still operating? Look at the incident where 30 pupils were killed in Yobe State.

“Secondly, the fact that the Federal Government proscribed Boko Haram, classifying it as a terrorist organisation, doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t also work with people who are willing to denounce their membership of the sect.

But for the committee to come out now to say it has a deal with Boko Haram is not correct. Until Nigerians hear from Shekau, any agreement reached is fruitless and fraudulent, because he is the leader of the sect.”

Similarly, the President of Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria, Dr. Ona Ekhomu, said the amnesty committee had a deal with fraudsters claiming to be Boko Haram leaders, adding that there was no deal with Shekau.

He said, “It is rather a naughty deal. I have a lot of problems with it. We have seen such deals in the past falling apart. The standard is that until and unless we hear from the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, we don’t have any deal. We know we have a lot of people who will say, ‘I’m Shekau’s very good friend, or Shekau’s confidant.’ Whoever is going into a deal with Boko Haram, must go into a deal with Shekau. It is only when Shekau says that he has laid down arms that we have a deal.

“The deal is a fraud. I think some people want to line their pockets by dealing with the Federal Government. Some fraudsters are coming out claiming to be Boko Haram members so that they can benefit from the amnesty. http://www.punchng.com/news/security-experts-fault-fg-peace-deal-with-boko-haram/

A member of the Presidential Committee on Amnesty for Boko Haram, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has disclosed that there has been no ceasefire deal with members of the Boko Haram militants.

Makarfi, a former Governor of Kaduna State who currently represents Kaduna North Senatorial District in the Senate, told newsmen on Thursday in Kaduna, that the committee only had an “understanding” with the sect that may likely result into signing a ceasefire deal.

According to him, “Definitely our chairman did not say there was any ceasefire. He said there was an understanding to enter into dialogue that could lead to ceasefire. So, he was talking about a progress indicating a process in terms of discussion.”

The former Governor said, signing an agreement with the outlawed sect that had over the years killed many innocent Nigerians could only be done by the Federal Government and “not the committee.”

“We have to understand that when it comes to signing a ceasefire agreement, it is not the committee that will sign a ceasefire. It is the government, but since we are involved in discussing with many of them as possible, whatever progress we are making is progress,” Makafi added.