Borno residents against FG’s plan to negotiate with Boko Haram

Maiduguri – Some residents of Borno on Monday cautioned the Federal Government against rushing into dialogue with the Boko Haram insurgents as a way of ending their violent campaign.
Those who spoke in Maiduguri on Monday advised government to concentrate on military action against the insurgents.
Shieikh Musa Usman, a Maiduguri based Islamic scholar, advised government to equip the military with the necessary weapons to face the insurgents rather than considering dialogue option.


Women and children flee from home burnt by Boko Haram Islamists at Zabarmari, a fishing and farming village near Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria, on July 3, 2015. Several female suicide bombers in northeast Nigeria blew themselves up amid panicked villagers fleeing a Boko Haram attack, killing scores, the army and witnesses said on July 4. The latest carnage in series of attacks that have claimed more than 200 lives in just three days happened on Friday night in Zabarmari village, 10 kilometres (six miles) from the city of Maiduguri, the birthplace of the jihadist group. AFP PHOTO/STRINGER
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“We heard in the media that government was considering a dialogue option with the insurgents following the recent spate of attacks in the North east.
“Why should government dialogue with individuals who are only interested in killing and maiming innocent people?
“Is government saying that it cannot continue with the current anti insurgency war or what?
“Why must we be talking about dialogue when our neighbours are already dislodging the insurgents from their countries?” Usman retorted.
Usman urged government to copy from the recent actions of the Chadian and Nigerien Governments in dislodging the insurgents from their countries.
Malam Goni Yahuza, another scholar said that negotiating with the insurgents was a sign of weakness.
“I do not support the idea of dialogue with Boko Haram because there is nothing to dialogue about.
“In the first place, I do not think that the group has something to talk about apart from violence”, Yahuza said.
He added that government must deploy all resources available in ending the insurgency within a reasonable time.
“I believe that the Nigerian military has all its takes to crush the insurgents, what they need is proper motivation for the task.
“Government must strive hard to ensure that it puts an end to the insurgency in a short while”, Yahuza said.
Alhaji Mohammed Mala, a businessman, commended the gallant efforts of the Nigeria military in fighting insurgents and urged them to do more.