ThisDay– The dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram has said it is willing to cease all hostilities and attacks if the federal government arrests former Governor of Borno, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff and meet its other demands.
These demands include compensation to all the families of their members that were not killed in the battle field from 2009 to date including their leader Mohammed Yusuf, the release of all their members that were not captured in battle by the government as well as reconstructing their place of worship (Markas Ibn Taimiyyah) in Maiduguri and the freedom to practice their religion as they used to do before.
The sect made the demands at a press conference in Maiduguri, Borno State Thursday afternoon saying they will give both the federal government and the Borno State government time to act and that during such time they will not be directly or indirectly involved in any attack and that anybody that attacks or kills during that period is not their member and that there would not be such instruction from their leadership.
The sect’s representative, one Abu Abdul’aziz said they will lay down their arms but not surrender them during the unspecified window period, which they define as “a time government demonstrates sincere commitment to everlasting peace.”
— Update–
Boko Haram Lists Three Conditions For Cease-Fire Talks With Nigerian Government
In a telephone press conference in Maiduguri the Borno State capital today, Abdulaziz told journalists that he was speaking for the sect as he has been directed to do so by the leader of the Jama’atul Ahlis Sunna Liddaawati wal Jihad widely known as the Boko Haram.
“If this former governor is arrested, this thing will end as we are highly offended with what happened three years ago”
He claimed that Sheriff (the former Governor) while in office sent securities to arrest and kill most of their members while practicing their religion, adding most of them are at the moment languishing in various prisons across the country.
He called for compensation as most of their wives and children have been killed while their properties have also been destroyed.
The sect he revealed have adopted Saudi Arabia as the neutral venue for the proposed dialogue with the federal government, saying the choice of Saudi Arabia is because the federal government has failed them in the series of the negotiations.
Abdullaziz said five of its members have been mandated to liaise with five members of Borno Elders to find ways of meeting the federal Government to end the insurgency.
He listed the Nigerian mediators to include Alhaji Shettima Ali Munguno, General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd), Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Ambassador Gaji Galtimari and Barrister Aisha Wakil and her husband.
“The committee members of the dialogue he stressed include; my humble self, Abu Mohammed Abdullaziz, shiek Abu Abas, shiek Ibrahim Yusuf, shiek Sani Kontagora, and Mamman Nur”
Boko Haram, formed in 2009, claims western ‘civilization’ is sinful and proposes that interaction with the western world is forbidden and also opposed to the Muslim establishment and the federal government of Nigeria and therefore wages what the sect calls a war against them.
Since August 2011 the insurgency attacks and counter insurgency is reported to have claimed over 2,000 lives. The sect staged a number of attacks on government establishment by planting bombs and using suicide bomb attacks at strategic locations and churches across the northern region of the country. Link: http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/11/01/boko-haram-to-declare-ceasefire-but-gives-three-conditions-to-end-insurgency/
Related: NewsRescue Editor– Who is Barrister Aisha Wakil?
Maiduguri Women In Street Protest Over Boko Haram
Borno women against Boko
March 9, 2012
Also speaking, a human right activist, Barrister Aisha Alkali Wakil, called on members of Boko Haram, whom she maintained remained their sons, to come out and dialogue with the government.
“My sons, I have been begging you since in silence to come out and state your grievances and stop destroying your homeland. Please come out and state your grievances and stop these killings,” she said tearfully.
Another widow, Grace Okafor, lamented that a state originally reputed for known for peace could now be flowing with blood. She equally appealed to citizens of the state to pray for the return of peace. Read more…
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NewsRescue: Who is Shettima Ali Munguno?
Interviewer: Okay, this Ghaddafi statement, what do you think is the remedy, how we can have a united and peaceful Nigeria?
Munguno: On my part, I started by saying I believe in God and I practice Islam, Islam never divides….
Alhaji Shettima Ali Munguno
…This terrible political concept, sort of, lives on. What happened to Jomo Kenyatta, go to West Indies, Jorgen, what happened? You will find these differences all over. Go to Libya, didn’t I one day hear that Ghaddafi was driving away some Nigerians from Tripoli? If God had wanted us to live in compartments, he would have done so, but he created us all over the place and asked us to live in peace and harmony. Now, that is how I thought Ghaddafi must have derailed. Go to South Africa, apartheid notwithstanding, time healed, time conquered and time only could tell. If and when leadership in any nation and of any nation could work for oneness, one entity, one group, one nation and above all putting one God above everything, people could live in peace and harmony. Some of our states in this country haven’t got all these problems, Borno is predominantly Muslim, but there is a big chunk of non-Muslims. Again, like other states, haven’t we been able to live for 50 years still calling ourselves Nigerians? I call myself a proud Nigerian. Read more…
NewsRescue Editor note– It may be that the St. Rita Church bombing last Sunday in Kaduna, was a mere stunt by a collapsing Boko Haram to portray an image of destructive relevance, for better negotiation positioning, in prelude to their cease-fire proposition. It is also important to note, that Boko Haram has many copy-cats and fractions, and a successful negotiation will not halt terror for quite a while.
The Nigerian government will be wise to consider a plan similar to what was conducted by the Yar’adua government in addressing MEND southern terror. In the MEND amnesty program, money was given for the surrender of guns and other weapons.
