How President Jonathan, Ali Modu Sheriff Influenced Ceasefire Deal with Boko Haram

The Nigerian government on Friday announced that it has reached a ceasefire agreement with the Boko Haram insurgents group.

The ceasefire deal was announced by the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, at the end of the coordinating conference on Nigeria–Camerooon Trans-Border Military Operations, held in Abuja, yesterday.

Badeh however did not give details of how they arrived at the ceasefire pact but speaking with the newsmen, the Defence Spokesman, Major General Chris Olukolade assured that the Presidency would give the details of how the agreement was reached and the conditions attached.

Also, a Nigerian presidential aide, Hassan Tukur told BBC Focus on Africa that the agreement was sealed after a month of negotiations, mediated by Chad.

While the Chief of Defence Staff did not give details of how they arrived at the ceasefire pact, the presidential aide said a government delegation twice met representatives of the Islamist group.

However, military sources yesterday said the ceasefire agreement as announced yesterday in Abuja by the Chief of Defence Staff, was influenced by President of Chad, Idris Deby and former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff.

According to security sources, the ceasefire was the outcome of the meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and his Chadian counterpart, Idris Deby “who is regarded as a mentor to most of the terrorists.”

“When President Jonathan was informed about the relationship between Derby and the Boko Haram sect members,” according to one of the security sources, “he was asking for who could link him with the President of Chad and that was how Senator Alimodu Sheriff who also has Chadian citizenship came into the picture. Sheriff and Deby are good friends as he (Sheriff) helped him (Deby) in his struggle to become the President. Sheriff was instrumental to the dialogue and at the meeting, the Chadian President agreed to midwife the agreement and that was how the deal was struck.”

Speaking further, the source who preferred anonymity because of the sensate nature of the issue, said, “President Jonathan strongly believes that no sacrifice is too much to restore peace and sanity to the Northeast and when he was told Deby could help that was why he went.

Unfortunately, the late Shekau was not forthcoming with the dialogue until he was killed in Konduga. Shortly after, the fight by the terrorists lost steam and members were surrendering to the troops in hundreds and that was when Deby made contact again and the pact was struck.”

Recall that President Jonathan was in Chad recently, where he had talks on security issues with the president of that country. The president was pictured with Sheriff, sparking outrage in the country.

Another source who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said though the details of the agreement between the federal government and the insurgents were still sketchy, he had it on good authority that “they want their members in detention released, they don’t want any of them prosecuted and they said if the deal was accepted, they would release every abducted Chibok girl and other people in their custody.”

Our source regretted that “the terrorists have now agreed to dialogue after killing some of our good hands while their own are being detained and well fed.”

Stay updated with Abusidiqu.com, in partnership with NIGERIANEWSBEAT.  Follow us on TWITTER or be our fan on FACEBOOK

Do not hesitate to leave your opinion in the comment section below.

To contact Abusidiqu.com for Article Submission and Advertisement or General inquiry, send a mail to info@abusidiqu.com