President Goodluck Jonathan, on Tuesday, met with members of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North.
President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo with members of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North
The Chairman of the committee, Karibu Turaki, said his team decided to call the meeting to ask President Jonathan the government’s position after speaking with different stakeholders and Boko Haram members.
“We feel that having interacted with most of the security agencies, we have come to the critical stage where we also need to hear what the government’s side is. That was what we came to discuss with Mr President,” he said.
Mr. Turaki referred to the committee’s meeting with the President as “very frank and very fruitful.”
“I can assure you and indeed Nigerians that the committee is more enriched to face the challenges that is ahead of us,” he added.
He pointed out that there are many dimensions to the spate of insecurity in the country but added that recent events have, nevertheless, “not derailed our resoluteness, resolution and desire and intention to make sure we get to the root of this problem.”
The committee, had last week, visited and dialogues with some members of the Boko Haram currently being held at the Kuje Minimum Prison in Abuja including, according to the committee, Kabiru Sokoto, the alleged mastermind of the Christmas Day bombing in Niger State.
Mr. Turaki, who is also the Minister of Special Duties, however, said that the committee was yet to meet with the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau. He criticised the recent video released by Mr. Shekau showing women and children who are being held hostage, saying that this was not an indication that the group was disposed to settlement or dialogue.
He said: “The most fundamental thing is, from my own understanding, that the Jama’a people (Boko Haram) are not averse to dialogue and settlement of the dispute, sitting down to discuss.”
President Jonathan had last month inaugurated the Presidential Committee and charged it with the responsibility of identifying and constructively engaging key leaders of Boko Haram, and developing a workable framework for amnesty and disarmament of the members of the group.
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