Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has in its opinion advised the Federal government on the need to stand against the ongoing reconciliatory move by Boko Haram and the conditions given for a possible Dialogue. CAN’s Leadership has openly kicked against the condition of negotiating to take place only in Saudi-Arabia. The CAN Financial Secretary in the 19 Northern states, Rev. Joshua Maina had stated this in Bauchi while speaking to the press.
He had advised that the Government should not always yield to such reconciliatory move, since such would be a sign of weakness and fear. He said “Boko Haram should not be so dreaded to the extent of giving in to their demands. President Goodluck Jonathan has actually been frightened by Boko Haram. Whether we like it or not, he has to face the reality. Saudi Arabia gives them cover as to who will be the figure for the dialogue. “I don’t want to believe the same man who spoke on phone to media men yesterday would be the one to speak for Boko Haram. It is more or less going to be a meeting, what do we table to the Federal Government as or own demand? The same credible people who are going to speak for the Federal Government will be the same people speaking for Boko Haram.
Speaking on the politics responsible for the emergence of the dreaded Boko Haram , Maina had affirmed that Boko Haram was a creation of the Northern political leaders. “ Who created Boko Haram? Accepted, it was Mohammed Yusuf, but who sent Jerry Gana to bail Mohammed Yusuf? Is it not respectable Nigerians that have left this country? It is going to be like a form in Saudi Arabia on how to approach Jonathan with Boko Haram issue, what should be our demands for the North. So, I want to believe it is still the North and South affair and not Boko Haram, and unfortunately, the Church in the North suffer because they are like traitors to the Northerners. Let the dialogue be within Nigeria, if the Boko Haram is not willing to dialogue in Nigeria, why should we go to Saudi Arabia? Why not Israel, Rome? He asked.
Reiterating on the need to dialogue in Nigeria with the dreaded Boko Haram against the risk of going all over to Saudi Arabia , Maina said “USA is there, England is there; let them choose the whole of International Court of Justice? It is not safe for the Federal Government to give in to this demand”
Blaming the Northern leaders and the weakness exhibited by the Federal Government towards bringing those behind the Boko Haram creation to book, Maina said “It is rather unfortunate that we have a country like Nigeria where you have crime and you look the other way. We have been insisting that Boko Haram is a formation of northern clique.
Senators, governors in Borno are sponsors. We must accept the reality that Boko Haram is a creation and a sponsored organisation by the northern clique. Sometimes the security people back and give them cover.” According to the CAN leader, Boko Haram is not in a position to demand the arrest of Ali Modu Sherif. “If anybody has anything against him, that person should forward it to the police. If investigation shows that he has a hand in the operations of Boko Haram, on that basis, he will be arrested and prosecuted, but not because Boko Haram demands his arrest.”
Debunking their appeal to the Federal Government for compensation and rewards, Maina had vehemently kicked against rewarding criminals who have killed thousands of Nigerians, saying that they must not be rewarded. He said: “They killed so many people, why haven’t they demanded for the compensation of the families of those they killed? Their leaders were killed because they were killing innocent people. How can we end up compensating criminals? Boko Haram is a lawless organisation. We all know this.
“Why must we compensate families of people, who under the law, are considered lawless people? If we go by that, then tomorrow others will form their gangs and begin to kill people. So, the Federal Government has to be very careful because we lost many precious people. But whether Boko Haram is ready for ceasefire or not, one thing I know is that their days are numbered”
Speaking further on the group’s impending doom, the CAN Financial boss had affirmed that if Hitler and Osama Bin Laden who terrorized the world during their different reigns were no longer hear, then the days of Boko Haram were numbered. Hear him “ If Osama Bin Laden is no longer here, if Hitler is no longer here, Idi Amin is no longer in Uganda, if these people are no longer here, I don’t want to believe Boko Haram should be dreaded as to give in to their demands.”
Comments