17th September, 2015
The Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), has expressed satisfaction with the recent pronouncement by President Muhammadu Buhari that the Federal Government had commenced dialogue with the Boko Haram sect.
This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by the Executive Secretary of the Centre, retired Air Commodore Yusuf Anas.
It said dialogue with leaders of the sect was imperative giving the enormity of the crisis and the hardship the insurgents had caused millions of Nigerians resident in the affected areas.
“The centre has noted with satisfaction, the President’s pronouncement that the Boko Haram terrorist group is in negotiation with the Federal Government over the possibility of releasing the Chibok school girls abducted in 2014.
“While expressing support for the declaration by the president, the Centre believes the new position had become imperative in view of the fact that military option alone has failed to resolve the issue.
“The Centre believes that there is nothing wrong in exploring and exploiting every opportunity that will lead to freeing not only the school girls but every other Nigerian held captive by the deadly insurgents,” it said.
The statement, however, noted that every window of dialogue should be open but only to genuine leaders or representatives of the sect who would keep to their side of the bargain.
The Centre urged both parties to approach the said negotiation with open mind and with utmost consideration of the interest of persons displaced by the insurgents.
It urged Nigerians to trust and support President Buhari and the Armed Forces in order to expeditiously end the menace of terrorism.
“The Centre views this gesture as good.
“It has opened a window of opportunity for dialogue for those insurgents that are willing and ready to lay down their arms.
“This position is predicated on calls made to this Centre by some members of the Boko Haram requesting for genuine and comprehensive dialogue that could lead to hundreds of them coming out to renounce their membership,” it said.
The statement said none of the suspected Boko Haram elements that spoke with the Centre asked for any form of monetary inducement or compensation as a pre-condition for laying down their arms.
“Many of the insurgents said that they were simply tired of fighting and being fugitives in a war that they were deceived into joining,” it said.
NAN recalls that the Centre had announced at a news conference on Aug. 4 that it was in discussion with some members of the sect about a possible dialogue with government.