The Federal Government has vowed that the mounting incidence of attacks and abductions in the North East notwithstanding the ceasefire agreement reached with the Boko Haram sect would not in any way threaten ongoing negotiations between the Nigerian authority and the dreaded Islamic sect.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali, gave this assurance on Monday at a trilateral meeting with the French Foreign Minister, Mr. Laurent Fabius, and his German counterpart, Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in Abuja, where he restated government’s commitment to ensure the safe return of all those who have been abducted.
His words, “On the question on abduction of some more girls, of course, this is something that has been going on for some time. And of course, the statement issued by one of the Boko Haram members, saying that those ones were done by criminals, not Boko Haram, is a denial from Boko Haram that we have been talking to.
“So, kidnapping in Nigeria has been going on for some time, not by Boko Haram but by some miscreants, some criminals. We also suspect that maybe some dissidents of the main Boko Haram body could have done this to break the ceasefire. But certainly, this is not something that will threaten the negotiation that is going on and we will make an effort also to bring back those that have been kidnapped,” Wali added.
The Minister appreciated the president of Chad for facilitating the process, stressing that it would be abnormal to make any pronouncement when negotiation is still ongoing.
“Yes, there is a ceasefire and negotiations are still going on. We all know that negotiations are still going on and we expect a lot of progress to be made. And soon, we will announce exactly what and where we are. But of course, when negotiation is going on, it is pretty delicate for us to now start making pronouncements until after we are sure of what we have been able to achieve in the process,” he said.
On the release of the Chibok girls by Boko Haram insurgents, he said: “They are part of the discussion, they are part of the negotiations we are doing and I believe there is going to be the spirit of give and take.”
In their reactions, the German and French ministers also pledged to support Nigeria in its fight against Boko Haram, on the ceasefire deal and on the 2015 general elections, among others.
For Fabius, “this is the first time we are travelling together to Nigeria because of its importance. France and Germany working together is like the whole Europe. We are here in Nigeria to express our commitment in fighting terrorism, against Boko Haram which is not only for Nigeria but the whole African region and the efforts to free the girls and Ebola. We support your actions on democracy; we are impressed by what we saw at the Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission. We want to give cooperation in different fields.”
Steinmeier, who disclosed that his country was very much concerned about Nigeria’s development, peace and stability, said that Germany would provide support for the over 10,000 Internally Displaced Persons as a result of the Boko Haram violence in the north east of Nigeria.
The Federal Government, Boko Haram negotiation, which is being facilitated by the Chadian President, Idriss Derby, has generated various controversies following attacks and continuous abduction by the insurgents, even after the announcement of the ceasefire deal by the Federal Government.
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