Presidency considers Boko Haram’s terms...#Negotiation include release of their members being detained and prosecuted, and President Goodluck Jonathan’s conversion to Islam

 

Facts emerged on Friday that the Federal Government was considering some of the peace terms of Boko Haram, the fundamentalist Islamic sect, which had masterminded bombings in the North for more than one year.

The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, had after the Federal Executive Council meeting last Wednesday, told journalists that government had accepted to

hold talks with Boko Haram in the interest of peace.

Earlier demands of the Islamic sect had included release of their members being detained and prosecuted, and President Goodluck Jonathan’s conversion to Islam.

However, the Presidency had spurned these demands.

But it was authoritatively gathered that one of the sect’s fresh demands was the payment of compensation or Diyya for their members they considered “killed unjustly” by security forces.

Our correspondent learnt that government might accede to the Diyya demand.

The sect is reported to have identified about 24 of such members.

One of them was the leader of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, who was killed in 2010 in Maiduguri, after he was reportedly captured alive by soldiers.

Yusuf was then handed over to the police, under whose custody, he died mysteriously.

Our correspondent learnt that the sect put the compensation to the family of the 24 deceased members at N2million each.

Consequently, for the 24 families, the Diyya to be paid is N48million.

Apart from compensation, the sect is also pressing for the release of those clamped into detention without committing any crime.

Presidency insiders said these were “not too difficult conditions.”

Under this category of persons are women and children whom they said were innocent.

The thinking of the government based on ongoing dialogue, is that the sect might not object to the trial of those found to be deeply involved in crime, once those “wrongly arrested or detained” breathe the air of freedom.

Once these conditions were met, they would cease fire, a source stated.

Contrary to the widely-held view, it was discovered that the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), was not the brain behind the ongoing talks between the Federal Government and the sect.

Government does not want to expose those behind the talks to avoid a previous experience, when the disclosure of the identities of the dialogue handlers frustrated the move.

Culled-Punch

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