There has been some suspicion that the military statement was politically motivated to coincide with an imminent announcement by president Goodluck Jonathan of his candidacy in February’s presidential election. The BBC noted yesterday that the Nigerian military had previously made announcements that were at odds with the situation on the ground. Significantly, Boko Haram – which usually communicates via videos from its leader Abubakar Shekau – had made no comment by last night. Reports of a ceasefire could also be seen as a distraction from the country’s economic and social challenges. Although it is Africa’s largest oil producer, many people live in poverty and corruption is a persistent problem. Clearly, there is much for Mr Jonathan and his would-be successors to do. I like would-be successors....
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 06:18:28 +0000