‘Borno Govt, Boko Haram Ready for Dialogue’

Michael Olugbode

15 June 2011

Borno State Government Tuesday said progress has been made in the planned dialogue with the notorious Islamic fundamentalist group, Boko Haram as one of its factions has indicated interest in dialogue.

Speaking to journalists, in Maiduguri, the State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Zanna Mustapha said the state government has also put everything in place to end the onslaught of the group on the state with the donation of ten Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to the police.

The deputy governor while revealing that the group is currently factionalized into three said this has made it difficult to know who is who among the group adding that since one of the factions has shown willingness to talk to government, they do no have a choice but to keep their doors opened.

He however said the government was making the offer to dialogue because it is interested in bringing peace and harmony to the state and this should not be seen as a sign of weakness.

Mustapha said the government will not accept some unreasonable publicized conditions touted by unidentified persons.

He said if government will go into dialogue with the Boko Haram group it has to be in the interest of majority of the people of the state and not based on some difficult conditions of the fundamentalists.

He emphasized that the dialogue has to be on the conditions of government and not that of the Boko Haram even as he reassured the people of the state that the government will not do anything that will undermine their security.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim who was in the state to take delivery of the APCs said the task of the police in curbing the excesses of the Boko Haram was made difficult because his men were not assisted with the right information.

The police boss, who emphasized the fact that the task of security of lives and property is that of everyone, insisted that the only way the police can push the Islamic fundamentalists out of Borno is when it is given the right information to work with.

Ringim however assured that with the latest additions into the police armouring the group would be haunted and driven out of Borno.

He disclosed that he has told his men that their task is to ensure peace and order and that they have assured him they are ready to comb all the nooks and crannies of the state for the Islamic fundamentalists.

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