Govt officials benefitting from B’Haram crisis – Northern leaders

Members of the boko haram sect

Opinion leaders in the North have identified lack of sincerity on the part of the Federal Government as well as opposition by certain elements within the security services as the factors frustrating genuine attempts to dialogue with the extremist Boko Haram sect.

In separate telephone interviews with us in Abuja, on Friday, Executive Director of the Civil Rights Congress, Mr.  Shehu Sani, and the Convener of the Coalition of Concerned Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, said the factors were obstacles to peace.

Specifically, Mohammed said, “The only obstacle now is that some elements within the Federal Government’s security services are making money out of the crisis and they are not interested in settlement.

“It is just a matter of people protecting their financial interests.

“If there is an obstacle, it is the financial interest of those who are milking the country and making money from the present insurgency.”

Sani noted that the choice of mediators had been a major challenge between government and members of the sect. He said, “You have situations where people trusted by the sect are not accepted by the government or people who enjoy government’s support are not respected (or accepted) by members of the sect.”

Also, the Borno Elders’ Forum has dismissed doubts over the ceasefire announced by Boko Haram, stating that members of the sect had started submitting their arms to their leaders.

The Secretary of the forum, Dr. Gubio Bulama, told us that the reports of a faction of the sect opposing the ceasefire was untrue and a creation of those who did not want the crisis to end.

He said, “There is no faction of Boko Haram anywhere that is not part of the ceasefire. All the commanders of the group in all the 19 northern states were there when the ceasefire was announced. It is not true that any faction has refused to lay down its arms.

“The ceasefire is genuine and the Boko Haram members have already started submitting their arms to their commanders.”

Meanwhile, Navy Commander Wabi Mohammed of the Directorate of Defence Information, has denied that security services are frustrating efforts to dialogue with the sect.

He said, “All these things are allegations; there is no truth in these allegations. There is no proof in what they are saying, it is not true. Is it not government that handles the issue of negotiation with Boko Haram? Why are allegations being directed at us?  It has nothing to do with us.

“You people (media) should try to reason; it is not just people trying to talk. Have they given you any evidence that government is refusing to negotiate with Boko Haram?

“Are those speaking Boko  Haram  members? How can you be making such statements about them when you are not their member? There is no credence in what they are saying.”