The Federal Government on Wednesday said it doubted the veracity of the purported video message of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, aired on the Nigerian Television Authority on Tuesday night.

In the message, the sect that had claimed responsibility for several bombings in the north and the Federal Capital Territory said it was ready for dialogue with the government.

It also named five negotiators – Sheik Abubakar Gemuno, Dr. Shettima Mongunu, Alhaji Bukar Ibrahim, Alhaji Junadu Idris and Barrister Aisha Al Wakil – to argue its cause.

However, THE PUNCH had reported yesterday that the video tape was sent by a faction of the sect.

Reacting to the Boko Haram message on NTA, Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, told journalists at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja that government was not certain the sect sent it.

Maku said, “If some names were mentioned by some media houses it doesn’t mean that it could be true.

“It could be false. We don’t just take it on the pages of newspapers because you reported a story, whether it is NTA, radio or video, it takes more than that to establish the veracity of a claim.”

The minister, however, said the government was prepared to entertain “every formal channel of communication with Boko Haram that could lead to dialogue.”

“The government is clear, we are ready for dialogue, already the President had said so,” Maku said.

Maku restated the Federal Government’s readiness to discuss with Boko Haram, but insisted that the government must know the identities of those who it would be negotiating with in the planned talks.

He said, “Whatever grievances that they (Boko Haram) have, the mere fact that they have grievances and they have taken to violence presupposes that we should listen to them, in spite of the fact that as a government we must defend innocent citizens some of whom have lost their lives in the course of these terror attacks.

“In spite of this the President (Goodluck Jonathan) made an open declaration that as a leader and the father of the nation he was prepared to talk to the combatants who have visited violence on innocent people and on their country.

“But the President said, ‘look, for us to engage in dialogue we must know who we are dialoguing (sic) with because members of this terror group operate underground and because they operate underground talking to them is a more difficult process.’”

Justifying government’s decision to negotiate with Boko Haram, despite its unrelenting bombing activities in the North, Maku said the government was uncomfortable with deploying military force against its citizens.

The minister said, “It is the understanding of the Federal Government that those involved in the terror attacks are our children. Yes, foreigners are involved but they do so in partnership or in collaboration with some Nigerians and because they are our citizens, we have continued to call on them to lay down their arms.

“Whatever grievances they have can be better resolved by bringing those grievances in an orderly way to the government at all levels. Some of those grievances are not even with the Federal Government while some are, but the President has turned in the olive branch.

“It is not a happy thing for Nigeria to deploy its military forces against some of its citizens, therefore it is not something we are doing out of choice.”

On Boko Haram’s reported plan to attack Sokoto, Maku stressed that the terror sect activities were killing the economy of the North.

He said, “The attack on Kano is so significant because Kano has always been the commercial centre of western Sudan for the past 500 years, even before the evolution of Nigeria.

“Kano is the economy of the North and the economy of Niger Republic; and it is the economy of Chad; it is the economy of northern Cameroun.

“So when you destabilise the peace in Kano, you threaten the foundation of economic and social well-being of all northerners.

“If you go and attack Sokoto for example, Sokoto is the spiritual headquarters of all Muslims in the country.

“The Sultan of Sokoto is officially recognised as the leader of Muslims in Nigeria. He is the prime leader and authority of Islam, so if for example you threaten to attack Sokoto, what is the benefit?”

According to the minister, the purported threat by the sect to attack Sokoto is an indication that its terror campaign is not motivated by religion.

He explained, “That is why we continue to say that we do not see much of religion in what is happening, because if Sokoto is virtually an Islamic centre and the headquarters of the caliphate that spreads Islam to most parts of Nigeria and even the South-West, if you go and attack Sokoto in what way does it affect the course of Islam if it is Islam they are fighting for?”

“What has happened is violence and this is what we want all those involved in it to understand and all stakeholders in the North and Nigeria to understand, that if any part of this country is in need of peace today, it is the Northern Nigeria.

“From all the statistics we (North) are still behind in infrastructure, in literacy level, in industrialisation, so we need peace and this peace will only be made possible when all stakeholders are involved.”

http://www.punchng.com/news/we-are-not-sure-boko-haram-sent-video-fg/

ahap! Mke dem attack Soko to naw. Na our bizness? Why wuld u go nd attack d headquarters of islam whn u wnt evn mr. President 2 cnvrt 2 islam? ILLITERATE BH! Ur days r numbered,

I have a warning for you Mr minister: If in your school of thought it is appropriate to negotiate with a terrorist, be clear about this.

This is Nigeria, and we the people of this nation will never negotiate with terrorist. Mind your utterances, say what you mean and mean what you say.

Brief us on pro-active measures to stop this madness please.

wats our biz if they decided dat d sultan of sokoto's home is nxt! Dae kud as wel bomb d entirety of northern nigeria! , I give a shit less

its time the perpetrators of this violence understand that they are drawing themselves backward in all sphere of human development

Remember, those BH are pure terrorists. They have no cause, SIMPLE

Dialogue with those that are willing to die at any time. Its only time, they are getting tired already

If this BH are smart and wise they should use this medium of dialogue to carry out their means, I explain the government cannot be trusted, at the first instance so this guys should never trust the government, so they BH should send their die hard squard, after accepting the truce with the government officials and be prepared to meet and their best men for their mission should target the top goverment officials in that meeting in revenge of the public or judiciary killing carried out 2009.
Besides, we cannot trust this same government who called a democratic government as a Federal government, using force against his populace, from the north to south, to west and east.
Patriot or death,

[/quote][quote author=realistic1 link=topic=866576.msg10158550#msg10158550 date=1328794530]
If this BH are smart and wise they should use this medium of dialogue to carry out their means, I explain the government cannot be trusted, at the first instance so this guys should never trust the government, so they BH should send their die hard squard, after accepting the truce with the government officials and be prepared to meet and their best men for their mission should target the top goverment officials in that meeting in revenge of the public or judiciary killing carried out 2009.
Besides, we cannot trust this same government who called a democratic government as a Federal government, using force against his populace, from the north to south, to west and east.
Patriot or death,

@realistic, i am not comfortable with your position on this matter at all. Why would you openly support boko haram's acts of terrorism and cowardise. Don't think you can always talk freely like this and go unpunished when your fellow illiterate brothers who are of no economic value are busy destroying valuable lives and property. In case you are not informed, let me reminded you that we are in the computer age. You could be located, picked easily and made to face the rath of the law.

realistic1:

If this BH are smart and wise they should use this medium of dialogue to carry out their means, I explain the government cannot be trusted, at the first instance so this guys should never trust the government, so they BH should send their die hard squard, after accepting the truce with the government officials and be prepared to meet and their best men for their mission should target the top goverment officials in that meeting in revenge of the public or judiciary killing carried out 2009.
Besides, we cannot trust this same government who called a democratic government as a Federal government, using force against his populace, from the north to south, to west and east.
Patriot or death,

Do you think you are in your own planet? The fact you are outside this Nation doesn't warrant the refusal of your extradition. If you don't keep quiet and say what you know, rather than letting your loosed brain say whatever comes in, you might end up regretting your life. Do you know what these Sect has caused ? do you know what is called PAIN? you are such a COWARD!!!! No matter how angry you are, you do not have the right to take laws into your hands, hence killing your fellow Northern Brothers, Sisters and Children. The suicide bombers has wives and kids, another suicide bomber will detonate a bomb that will kill his own family. He is dead how does he know about the safety of his family after being brainwashed that they will be fine. I pity all these fools that doesn't know what life brings to a man! North is far behind, and they are still causing more havoc.



I see the rich Northerners are scared because the lower class men are elevating to a higher standard, time will come all the Northern children will know their rights as a Citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They will stand up in one voice and tell their rich liars called leaders to sit because the long suffering and brainwashing.

Do you think you are in your own planet? The fact you are outside this Nation doesn't warrant the refusal of your extradition. If you don't keep quiet and say what you know, rather than letting your loosed brain say whatever comes in, you might end up regretting your life. Do you know what these Sect has caused ? do you know what is called PAIN? you are such a COWARD!!!! No matter how angry you are, you do not have the right to take laws into your hands, hence killing your fellow Northern Brothers, Sisters and Children. The suicide bombers has wives and kids, another suicide bomber will detonate a bomb that will kill his own family. He is dead how does he know about the safety of his family after being brainwashed that they will be fine. I pity all these fools that doesn't know what life brings to a man! North is far behind, and they are still causing more havoc.

I see the rich Northerners are scared because the lower class men are elevating to a higher standard, time will come all the Northern children will know their rights as a Citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They will stand up in one voice and tell their rich liars called leaders to sit because the long suffering and brainwashing.


Afraid of extradition, NO coward NO, regretting life NO. But about the pains I know very well how we all feel, about the deaths of innocent lives and the laws into my hands that have I not done, but the government have failed us forso long and I will remain with my argument be it north, south, east and west Nigerians hae to learn to forget all about the government and let us remember the french and russia revolution, and we should not forget about that type of change,
Cutting down all big trees.