The Executive Secretary of the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (rtd) yesterday said some Boko Haram leaders offered to negotiate to ceasefire because they are tired of fighting.
He said the Federal Government and the insurgents should adopt an open mind to the ongoing talks for negotiation.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for expressing the government’s willingness to dialogue with the sect.
Anas spoke in Abuja in an on the update on the dialogue being facilitated by the CCC between the government and the insurgents to free the 219 abducted Chibok girls.
He said Boko Haram neither asked for monetary inducement nor compensation during preliminary talks for the dialogue.
He said: “We want to note that none of the suspected Boko Haram elements that spoke with the CCC asked for any form of monetary inducement or compensation as a pre-condition for laying down their arms.
“In fact, many of them said that they were simply tired of fighting and being fugitives in a war that they were deceived into joining.
Nevertheless, the Centre will continue to support and encourage all efforts towards bringing insurgency to an end in our country.
Anas said there is nothing wrong in exploring any possibility of securing freedom for the girls.
He added: “The CCC has noted with satisfaction, the pronouncement by President Muhammadu Buhari that some members of the Boko Haram terrorist group are in negotiation with the Federal Government over the possibility of releasing the Chibok Secondary School girls abducted on April 14, 2014.
“We recall that while briefing the press on August 4, 2015, the Executive Secretary of CCC, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (retired) had disclosed that some Boko Haram elements approached the Centre for dialogue as a way of ending the seeming intractable insurgency in parts of the country.
“While expressing support for the declaration by President Muhammadu Buhari that the Federal Government was willing to dialogue with genuine leaders of the terrorist group, the CCC believes the new position had become imperative in view of the fact that military option alone has failed to resolve the issue.
“The Centre believes that there is nothing wrong in exploring and exploiting every opportunity that will lead to freeing of not only the innocent school girls but every other Nigerian under shackles of the deadly insurgents.
He asked Nigerians to support President Buhari as he takes tough decisions such as this.
Anas added: “As we stated on August 4, 2015 on this matter, which was widely and extensively published by the media, every window of dialogue should be open but only for genuine leaders or representatives of the sect who are committed to keeping to their side of the bargain.
“We urge both parties to approach the said negotiation with open mind and with utmost consideration of the interest of humanity.”
“To Nigerians, we urge that we continue to trust and support our President even when he has to take tough decisions such as this knowing that what is upper most in his mind and in our minds is the freedom of our girls and all other captives.
“The Centre views this gesture as good. It has opened a window of opportunity for dialogue for those insurgents that are willing and ready to lay down their arms.
“This position is predicated on calls made to this Centre by some members of the Boko Haram requesting for genuine and comprehensive dialogue that could lead to hundreds of them coming out to renounce their membership.”