FG Bungled Chance To End Insurgency – Makarfi: FG Bungled Chance To End Insurgency – Makarfi Bayo Oladeji And Isaiah Benjamin, George Agba, Reuben Buhari — June 1, 2014 The federal government had the opportunity to curb the activities of Boko Haram terrorists early on, but it bungled it by not implementing a road-map provided by the Kabiru Turaki-led Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North. Senator Ahmed Makarfi, a member of the committee who spoke to the media, said a key element in the report they submitted to the federal government was for the setting up of a permanent body to continuously dialogue with the insurgents. “You don’t just stop dialogue abruptly; dialogue is a long process. Look at the Arab-Israeli; is there any time they said they have stopped dialogue? So, it is a continuous issue. Security matter such as this is not an issue you set up a committee for just a few months, it solves the problem, it goes, and that is all,” Makarfi said. “We brought out a road map to be followed for sustained dialogue to bring the matter to an end. But no action has been taken in that regards. If it was taken, I am not aware. But security issues like this are not resolved by a committee that works for a few months and winds up and gives you recommendations.” In the same vein, Shehu Sani, a Kaduna-based civil rights activist with extensive knowledge and insider information about the deadly group, also said the over 200 girls still in the captivity of Boko Haram insurgents would have been freed last week if the federal government had not changed its mind at the last minute. “I am the person who recommended Ahmed Sakilda to the federal government for them to reach to him over the Chibok girls. I monitored all that happened and it was the federal government that frustrated the move. The Chibok girls could have been freed last week, but for the sabotage by the federal government,” he said, adding that elements within the government were actually responsible for scuttling the effort. Sani who bared his mind to LEADERSHIP Sunday further said that he remained optimistic that the present dialogue being pursued by former president Olusegun Obasanjo would succeed. He said: “I facilitated the talk between Obasanjo and the Boko Haram; the dialogue that was led by Dr Datti Ahmed was facilitate by Ahmed Salkida with me on the background and knowing what was happening to the end. “Now, I founded the new dialogue for which the meeting was held in Obasanjo’s, house. I was there and I brought the idea of what to do and we are working on it.” Promising that the new round of dialogue will yield result, Sani disclosed that “the new initiative we are doing is such one that will carry along many people that stand between the sect and the federal government”. He said the sect will nominate their delegation and the federal government will also nominate their delegation and that the bottom line is for the two groups to discuss and work out the process of getting the Chibok girls’ release and at the same time getting the federal government to release some members of the sect and their families. “It is still a new formula to repackage the dialogue process and to salvage the dialogue process that was destroyed by the refusal of the government to accept a deal that just happened recently.” The civil rights activist said the only way for the girls to be reunited with their loved ones alive is for the federal government to hold dialogue rather than depend on military force. Efforts to get the reaction of the presidency wasn’t successful as calls and sms sent to Dr. Reuben Abati, the spokesperson of President Goodluck Jonathan went unanswered and un replied. War against insurgents won’t end until it’s won – Jonathan Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday expressed grief over the murder of the Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Idrissa Timta, by Boko Haram, saying the war against the insurgents would not end until it is won. The first-class royal father who was travelling with his colleagues, the emirs of Uba and Askira, to a attend the funeral ceremony of the Emir of Gombe reportedly died of heart attack when the suspected Islamist extremists opened fire on their car in Zhur, a remote community in Borno State on Firday. Special adviser to the president on media and publicity Dr Reuben Abati who addressed journalists said Jonathan was saddened when he heard of the news of the emir’s death on arrival from Ghana where he had gone to attend a security summit of the Economic Community of West African States that Friday. He also clarified reports suggesting that the president has offered amnesty to members of the Boko Haram sect. He explained that the president’s call for dialogue and reconciliation should the insurgents decide to renounce terrorism and embrace peace did not automatically mean offer of amnesty for members of the sect. Abati spoke immediately after President Jonathan met with the Muslim Umma from Senegal led by Shaikh Ibrahim Nyass of Kaolak, the son of the renowned Shaikh Tijani Nyass, at the First Lady Conference Room of the presidential villa, Abuja. On the offer of amnesty, he said, “Well, I think I will refer you to the speech by the president. The speech by the president, if you read it line by line, you will see that it contains the very message that the president wanted to put across. In that speech, if you look at it, I don’t think the president used the word amnesty. “The president spoke about those who are willing to renounce terrorism, those who are willing to embrace peace; opportunities have been created for them through the fact-finding committee, through the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts in the North-eastern part of Nigeria. So, I will refer you basically to the speech.” On the death of the Emir of Gwoza during an ambush by the insurgents, the presidential spokesman said, “The president got the news and he was sad about it. What it means is that these terrorists who are threatening peace and stability in Nigeria are desperate and they continue to show that desperation. Mr President made it clear in his Democracy Day broadcast – that was his main message to Nigerians – that, at the end of the day, it is the people of Nigeria that will prevail. “No matter how desperate terrorists may be, this country is determined to rid the country of terrorism; and the support, the solidarity, the cooperation, the expression of partnership that we are receiving from our neighbouring countries – the whole of the West Africa sub-region, Africa and the entire world – shows that this is a battle that the whole world is prepared to fight. So, the days of peace, as the president said in his speech, is assured because this battle will not end until it is won and sustainable peace and development is truly guaranteed.” Abati, who further hinted on the outcome of the ECOWAS security summit in Ghana, said heads of state and governments of West African states resolved to share intelligence, while cooperating with each other in every way to stop terrorism in the region. He said: “With particular regard to Nigeria, the summit condemned the activities of terrorists in Nigeria. The summit concluded also that any threat of terror in any part of Africa or in any part of West Africa or in any country at all is a threat to the entire sub-region; it is a threat to the continent and it is a threat to the whole of humanity. The key message that came out with regard to the situation in Nigeria was one of solidarity, partnership and cooperation. “The heads of state and governments of West African states resolved at that meeting that they will share intelligence and that they will cooperate in every way possible because doing so is to ensure stability within the region, is to ensure sustainable development within the region and they spoke with one voice in condemning the terrorist activities in Nigeria. “They resolved that whatever happens in Nigeria or Mali or Guinea Bissau or any other West African country is a concern of everybody in West Africa because they all share a common destiny”. After the meeting between President Jonathan and the Muslim Umma, the spokesperson for the group, Ahmed Tijani Sanni Alwalu, told State House correspondents that the main purpose of their visit was to offer prayers for peace in this country. Alwalu said, “It is a historic visit because it has been done by his father with the then president, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, and Gen. Aguyi-Ironsi. So, the history is repeating itself and we come for the Moulude of Ibrahim Inyass Gombe and, on his way going home, the president requested a courtesy visit and Shehu granted that. “We put ourselves together, all Muslims and non-Muslims, in peaceful co- existence and prayers so that we can all fight this insecurity in this country.” Stay up to date, follow us on Twitter; @LeadershipNGA « Previous Article Tinubu Set To Join Presidential Race Original link Read More goo.gl/PVoEpe (y) ✍comment ☏share
Posted on: Sun, 01 Jun 2014 07:25:43 +0000
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