Former Governor of Kaduna State and
member of the Presidential Committee on Amnesty for Boko Haram, Senator
Ahmed Makarfi, has said the committee did not sign a ceasefire agreement
with the sect.
Makarfi, representing the Kaduna North
Senatorial District in the Senate, told journalists in an interview on
Thursday in Kaduna, that the committee only had an “understanding” with
the sect that would lead to signing a ceasefire agreement.
“Definitely our chairman did not say
there was any ceasefire. He said there was an understanding to enter
into dialogue that could lead to ceasefire. So, he was talking about a
progress indicating a process in terms of discussion,” he said.
He said signing an agreement with the
sect that had over the years wreaked havoc on innocent Nigerians could
only be done by the Federal Government and “not the committee.”
“We have to understand that when it
comes to signing a ceasefire agreement, it is not the committee that
will sign a ceasefire. It is the government but since we are involved in
discussing with many of them as possible, whatever progress we are
making is progress,” Makafi added.
The former governor, who refused to
disclose the extent of the committee’s dealing with the sect because of
the sensitive nature of the assignment, said a lot had been achieved
between the committee and the sect.
Otherwise, he noted, President Jonathan would not have extended the work of the committee for another two months.
“We are happy where we are. If the
President was not happy with where we are, he would not have given us
additional two months to complete the critical stage of our work. We
would have been given marching orders,” he said.
He therefore, urged Nigerians to be
patient with the committee, saying that there was no need for the
disbandment of the committee being canvassed in some quarters.
“I cannot divulge the full extent of the
progress that has been made but in an organisation that has thousands
and so many leaders, it is not an impossible thing that you are speaking
to some and you are yet to speak to some.
“So it is not that everybody is being
spoken to or has been spoken to. But definitely, quite a number have
been spoken to and are being spoken to.
“Our prayer is that it will yield
conclusive dividends that can improve the security and well-being of our
country. Look at the Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland. Has it
stopped some elements from doing certain things? So, don’t rule out the
fact that nothing ever will happen, but the issue will be receding up
till the time when we will eliminate the challenge.”
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