FG, Boko Haram begin peace talks

Renowned Islamic scholar,
Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi
has said through his
intervention, there is ongoing
dialogue between the Federal
Government and Jama’atu
Ahlussiunnnati Lidda’awati Wal
Jihad known as Boko Haram.
Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi disclosed
this yesterday while briefing
journalists on the birthday of
Great Tijjaniyya, the late
Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass in Bauchi.
He said: “Several months back
we started making effort to
intervene and negotiate
between the Boko Haram and
Federal Government.
“We did our best and located
them through a scholar in
Damaturu called Sheikh Umar
Mohammed Diyar, we told
them that ongoing killings of
people was not in the interest
of Islam, because presently,
under peace in my schools
over 600 people memorized
the Holy Qur’an last year, if
there was no peace, how
could we get hundreds of
Qur’anic memorizers.”
The scholar said the members
told him that Muslims who
were on the path of Allah
didn’t seek for dialogue,
quoting a verse from the Holy
Qur’an; the scholar said he
quoted another verse to
them in another chapter
which says if they seek for
dialogue and cease fire you
should agree. He said after
they discussed with the sect,
they agreed that they would
dialogue with Federal
Government through him
because they believe he would
not betray the trust they
had in him. After that, I told
them I would meet the Federal
Government and they would
seek for dialogue.
“We met with Federal
Government and we told
them that they had fire in
their hands and these people
also had fire and fire can’t
quench fire, so let’s resolve to
dialogue.They agreed. The
Federal Government then
asked Bauchi State
Government to set up a
committee through which
they could dialogue with
them.
“I invited a former Secretary
to the Federal Government,
Alhaji Aminu Saleh Wamban
Katagum, who said he would
only be with me not with the
Federal Government or the
group and we agreed. “After
we met, we went back to
them and told them that the
Federal Government had
agreed to dialogue with them
on condition that their leader
would come out and announce
a cease fire for three months
or minimum of 40 days and
government would stop
arresting their members. They
replied that they wanted it in
writing and the government
wrote a letter to them
through me. After we waited
for some time, we asked them
for a reply to the letter they
said they wanted the
government to put the letter
on the pages of newspapers
so that everybody would read
and see.”
The scholar said that was the
reason why he invited
journalists to show them the
letter which was written to
the sect by the Federal
Government through the
committee set up by the
state government. The letter
signed by the Permanent
Secretary, Bauchi Government
House, Abdu Aliyu Ilelah on
behalf of the committee,
entitled: Federal Government
Committee on Negotiations
With Jama’atul Ahlussunnati
Lidda’awati Wal Jihad: The
Committee set up by the
Federal Government Of Nigeria
hereby appreciates the
decision and commitment of
Jama’atul Ahlusunnati
Lidda’awati Wal Jihad to
negotiate peace with
government through Sheikh
Dahiru Usman Bauchi, Federal
Government of Nigeria, on its
own part embraces the
gesture and pledges to
negotiate peace through
Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi,
we also hope that on its part,
Jama’atu Ahlussunnati
Lidda’awati Wal Jihad will
observe a cease fire and
present terms for
negotiations so that dialoque
can commence.”
Source: The sun Newspaper