Boko Haram:Amnesty shows peace talks video

The Presidential Committee on Dialogue
and Resolution of Security Challenges in the
North
on Friday released a video clip of
what it described as a meeting with some
leaders of the Boko Haram sect. The
committee also said the men were close
associates of Boko Haram, Abubakar
Shekau.
The 30-minute video was played to State
House correspondents inside the Banquet
Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The
committee holds its meetings in the hall.
In the clip, some men identified by the
committee as members of the highest
decision-making body of Boko Haram, the
Shura, were heard speaking in Arabic and
Hausa.
In the video clip, a man described as the
spokesman of the sect, Muhammd Lawan
Dn Suliaman, was seen with three other
men identified as Abdul-Auza'i, Al-Darnawo
and Al-Maliki.
Although Suliaman read his remarks in
Arabic, his words were subtitled in English.
He said it was permissible to reach a peace
accord and lay down arms according to
Allah's injunction in Quran Chapter 8:61.
The men explained that the decision to
take part in the negotiation was based on
three things: the tenets of Islam, the
teachings of Prophet Muhammed and the
writings of eminent Islamic scholars and
jurists.
However, the authenticity of the video clip
could not be independently confirmed by
Saturday PUNCH and a copy was not
released to our correspondent. The
committee did not also tell newsmen where
the meeting held and when.
But a statement issued by government and
said to be the full transcription of the
remarks made by Suliaman revealed that
the meeting might have taking place in a
prison where the men were held.
The statement reads, "We are indeed
surprised with the visit paid to us by a
dialogue committee set up by the Federal
Government of Nigeria.
More surprised, the committee met us in
prison custody and explained to us reason
for their visit and also asked four
fundamental questions.
"Firstly, is it possible to dialogue and reach
a peaceful resolution of the conflict
between our brothers and the Federal
Government who are engaged in fighting?
Secondly, which way is the dialogue going
to follow? Thirdly, which assistance those
of us in detention would give in realisation
of that? Fourthly, what assistance do the
detainees need to facilitate the dialogue?"
However, the Chairman of the Committee,
Kabiru Turaki, told journalists that his
committee decided to make the two-week-
old video clip public in order to prove to
Nigerians that indeed the government
team had established contact with the sect.
He added that the committee had
succeeded in gaining the confidence of the
sect's leaders.
The Minister of Special Duties said
government hoped that the members of
the sect, whom he described as "field
officers", would see the need to embrace
dialogue after "watching and listening to
their leaders."
He said, "It is incumbent on all true Muslims
to accept dialogue. They (Shura members)
have called on their members and Muslims
to give peace a chance.
"We need to build confidence to open a line
of
communication. When we build on
dialogue, we will get to the next stage of
total ceasefire. We have not got to that
level yet. No conditions have been
finalised."
Turaki, however, disclosed that the
committee was still making efforts towards
meeting another set of senior leaders of
the group, and a splinter group, Ansaru.
He also said he could not get the military
operatives in Borno State to confirm the
death of the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar
Shekau.
Turaki admitted that there was no clear
connection between the Shura committee
and the second-in-command with whom
government reportedly secured an earlier
peace deal, or with Shekau who is yet to be
personally reached.
He further explained that his committee
had no mandate to pay compensation to
the victims of Boko Haram, but would
advise government on how to bring
"succour" to them.
Responding on Friday, the pan-northern
socio-political organisation, Arewa
Consultative Forum, lauded the amnesty
committee's efforts. But the Christian
Association of Nigeria in a swift reaction
on Friday, expressed doubts over the
video clips.
The National Publicity Secretary, ACF, Mr.
Anthony Sani, commended what he
described as the "carrot-and-stick
approach" of the Federal Government.

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