Apart from the negotiations, it also demanded for the
arrest of ex-Borno State Governor Modu Sheriff, compensation for families of its members killed in the course of its terrorist activities and the rebuilding of its mosques by the Federal Government as its conditions for a ceasefire.
Shortly after the sect’s pronouncement second-in-command, Abu Mohammed in Maiduguri, eminent Nigerians and groups have called on Buhari not to spurn the offer if it was all that was needed to “restore peace to Nigeria.”
Most prominent among them was a former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who implored Nigerians not to misconstrue the intention of Boko Haram’s request for Buhari on the negotiation table.
Gowon told SUNDAY PUNCH in a telephone interview that if it would bring lasting peace to the country, Buhari should be given a chance.
He said Buhari was not going to be their spokesman, but that he would only help to ensure that peace reigned again in the country.
He said, “If Buhari leading the talks would lead to lasting peace, we should give him the chance. People should not misconstrue the intention by saying that Buhari knows them or their leaders. That I think, may not be the intention.”
The Northern States Governors Forum on Saturday also applauded Federal Government’s acceptance of the offer of negotiation by Boko Haram.
A statement by the forum made available to Channels Television in Minna, the Niger state capital, stated that “dialogue rather than use of force, would help find a lasting solution to the worsening insecurity of lives and property in the country.”
The House of Representatives also said the sect call for a dialogue was a welcome development.
The Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal, told newsmen on Saturday at Ila-Orangun, Osun State, that the House would support any step that could bring peace to the country.
“If the sect is now accepting that there should be a kind of peace pact with the Federal Government, I am sure the House will encourage that.
“There will be a dialogue and it may not necessarily have to be all the conditions given will be met. I think government should be engaged, and see how best the issues can be resolved.’’
Similarly, the President of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Ralph Uwechue, urged Buhari and others nominated for the mediatory roles to accept it for the restoration of peace to the country.
Uwechue said, “Buhari is a senior citizen and an elder statesman, I think he and others would do whatever would help solve the crisis. We are only interested in seeing the end of the violence. So, the people nominated should accept the offer if that would solve the problem. But the Federal Government should verify how authentic this offer from Boko Haram is.”
In the same vein, the Secretary of the Borno State Elders’ Forum, Dr. Bulama Gubio, said the forum was happy that the sect had accepted its appeal.
Gubio urged the Federal Government and those nominated as mediators to set in motion, the rapprochement process without delay.
He said, “We have been appealing to both Federal Government and the sect. We have been appealing to them to drop their weapons in order to stop the killing of innocent women and children. They have said they are ready to listen to us. The choice of the mediators was totally their own volition. We did not choose anybody for them. The people they choose are those they can trust.”
Gubio said the ball was now in the court of the Federal Government to kick-start the peace talks by getting the people the sect nominated to the negotiation table.
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