Boko Haram begins direct talks with FG – VOA

Posted by admin American Politics, Boko Haram, Latest Politics Tuesday, August 14th, 2012

The militant Islamic group, Boko Haram, may have started talks with the Federal Government.

The Voice of America reported on Tuesday that a purported spokesman for Boko Haram, Habu Mohammed, said the the group was engaged in direct talks with the government on ending violence in the North.

According to the VOA, in a statement, Mohammed, who claims to be a deputy to Boko Haram leader Sheikh Abubakar Shekau, said the militant group decided to initiate the peace moves in response to numerous public appeals for peace in the country.

The VOA said a senior Nigerian officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the talks to VOA.

According to the news agency, Mohammed was reported to have warned those he referred to as “politicians and armed robbers.”

He said the group would focus its attention on “those persons who are giving them bad image.”

An online newspaper, Premium Times, said Mohammed’s statement was one of numerous ones stating that negotiations between the sect and the FG had commenced.

According to the newspaper, Mohammed is not a known member of the sect; has never issued a statement; nor spoken on behalf of the terrorist group in the past.

The sect admitted to a first round of talks (which broke down) between the government and a group under the leadership of Datti Ahmad, the National President of the Supreme Council for Sharia’ah in Nigeria;

Boko haram had consistently denied any other report of dialogue with the government.

It is, therefore, not clear if the present announcement is indeed from the leadership of the Boko Haram.

Efforts to get government’s reaction to the story on Tuesday proved abortive as the presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, did not pick his calls when our correspondent attempted to speak with him on the telephone.wp_posts