More facts have emerged surrounding the ceasefire agreement between the Federal Government and the dreaded Boko Haram sect. With the expected release of the girls soon, presumably between Monday and Tuesday, it has emerged that all the girls will not be released at once but in batches.
As expected as well as suspected, the girls are not in one place. They are scattered in different parts of West Africa and this suspicion was confirmed by the Boko Haram leaders who mentioned this to the Nigerian and Chadian Government representatives.
“We expect to receive the first batch of the girls in a mater of days,” said a source in the know. He added that the government was sure that the negotiation this time was genuine and had taken place at the highest levels.
Though a source said that the government was hopeful that “a faction of Boko Haram will not disown the ceasefire agreement,” he further added that the government was ready to fulfill its part of the agreement.
It was learnt that ceasefire process began at the instance of Chadian President, Idriss Derby who unbelievably had two letters written to him from the Boko Haram leaders.
He immediately asked his National Security Adviser to investigate the authenticity of the letters and immediately they were confirmed to be genuine, the President immediately swung into action, it was learnt.
Sources said that Jonathan, in trying to see the security initiative through, had visited Chad, France and Cameroun for talks and engaged other regional leaders in fruitful talks and President Idriss was impressed when both presidents had discussions.
“The real foundation of the ceasefire deal started when President Jonathan engaged regional leaders through the regional security initiative. When he was in Chad for the International ICT conference, he engaged the Chadian President, Ndjamena,” the source said.
It was further confirmed that the Chadian President, after confirming the authenticity of the Boko Haram letters and their desire for peace, then alerted President Jonathan, who immediately expressed readiness to dialogue with the sect once he was sure of its authenticity.
The President was said to have dispatched his Principal Private Secretary, Hassan Tukur, and some other intelligence and military officers to enter into talks. They had weeks of discussions till the ceasefire agreement was struck last Friday.
One aspect of the agreement, according to sources, is that the Federal Government will facilitate the release of the women of Boko Haram who are in custody in different parts of the country.
It was learnt that a number of women were arrested by security agencies, having been “caught in the act” either carrying explosives or other incendiary items or running errands for the sect.
“In any case, the government agreed to release the women and children since they are women, even though they were caught in the act,” a source said.
However, talks would continue on the fate of the captured and arrested Boko Haram commanders.
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