Nigerians have been expressing their views, following the
ceasefire agreement the Federal Government said it recently signed with
Islamist sect Boko Haram.
While some laud the Federal
Government’s effort, others express their disappointment as they believe
the sins of the sect were unparadonable.
In his reaction,
National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Otunba Gani
Adams said it was a step in the right direction. In a telephone chat
with newsmen, he said: “It is a step in the right direction and I think
from there, they will create room to dialogue with the Federal
Government and state their position.
“They cannot continue to
waste lives just like that. I don’t know what they stand for but no
matter what they
stand for, their approach is wrong and deadly. Nobody
in the world will support their struggle. But calling for a ceasefire
will afford Nigerians the opportunity to know exactly what they want.”
Pan-Yoruba
socio-political organisation, Afenifere was however skeptical of the
recent development, saying the identity of the group calling for
ceasefire should be ascertained. Afenifere’s National Publicity
Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin said, “We should be sure which of the Boko
Haram sect is calling for a ceasefire.
“The identity of the group
should be ascertained and its genuineness should be known before the
Federal Government is taken off guard. Since emergency was declared in
those three states (Yobe, Adamawa and Borno), the incidence of bombings
has gone down but killings continue here and there. So, we must know how
genuine the call is and the identity of the group calling for the
ceasefire. Was it not Boko Haram that said it was the Federal Government
that needed amnesty?”
Also reacting on the development, former
governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa expressed optimism that
the ceasefire will resolve the insurgency.
“We hope that the Federal Government will respond favourably and effectively to the ceasefire,” he said.
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