Government Secretly Holds Talks with Boko Haram

The Federal Government and fundamentalist Islamic sect, Boko Haram, finally held a secret meeting in Senegal a few weeks ago in a bid to end the terrorism onslaught against the country, SUNDAY PUNCH authoritatively reports.

The governments of Mali and Senegal played significant roles in the peace talks with officials of the two West African countries serving as mediators during the negotiations, our correspondent learnt.

Mali and Senegal have majority Muslim populations and also have mainstream Islamic groups with strong ties to religious groups in Northern Nigeria.

It was gathered that the Federal Government team to the meeting was led by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe. Orubebe is one of President Goodluck Jonathan’s closest associates. The newspaper also gathered that some senior Boko Haram commanders stood in for the sect.

A very reliable source in government, who pleaded not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the matter, disclosed that the leaders of the sect insisted that a ceasefire was only possible if their terms were met.

Pressed for more details, the source said the terms were “what the sect has always demanded.”

The terms that Boko Haram has been reported to have given government for a ceasefire include, the release of their detained members, the payment of compensation and the rebuilding of their houses and mosques demolished by government.

The source said the talks were successful but could not be sustained because hawks in the military advised President Goodluck Jonathan against accepting the terms.

According to him, the military advised the President not to give in to the demands of the sect with a promise that they would deal with the Boko Haram challenge.

Confirming the meeting in Senegal, the Convener of Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, accused President Goodluck Jonathan of double standards.

Mohammed said the President could not claim that the sect was faceless because the Federal Government had interacted with some of them.

Mohammed said, “Yes, it is true. The minister travelled to Senegal where, on prior arrangement with Senegalese and Malian secret services, met some of the Boko Haram leaders."

Mohammed also condemned the price placed on the heads of leaders of the Boko Haram sect. He said the military’s action was aimed at frustrating the negotiations. “After meeting with these people, you now say you are putting money on their heads. It is an act of bad faith. The mere fact that there was some kind of meeting clearly shows that what the military did was an act of bad faith."