The government did not invite Boko Haram for negotiation. Boko Haram initiated the meeting through the President of Chad. So it is responsible for government of Nigeria to reciprocate. The government of Nigeria has consistently said it is ready for dialogue but would not negotiate exchange. But since these people have now initiated a conversation and we are invited, we will go and discuss and agree. Don’t forget, the key phrase that we have always used is that ‘all options are open’. Even, in this country there are people who have said they can do it, and we tell them go and negotiate. Two former heads of state and some community leaders said they are waiting for approval to initiate negotiation with Boko Haram.
But government never gave them the approval…
No, but do they need approval?
Maybe they are looking at the implications, because the Terrorism Act even forbids contact with the sect…
Yes, having contact, as in if you aid and abet. But the people have always been saying they have contact and nobody has done anything to them. So that is the extent to which the law is defined. But if I have something of yours and someone offers to mediate and take it for you, will you tell the person don’t do it? So we have said those who have offered are citizens of Nigeria, they have a responsibility to the girls, they have a responsibility to the country as any other person as much as the government has. The government is not derelicting its duty, the government is committed to carrying out its responsibility to the citizens and if in the course of doing this, some citizens felt they can help, the country belongs to them as well and they have a right to assist in the protection of fellow citizens.
So, if the talks fail, is the government ready now to take the war to the camp of the insurgents?
I don’t want to go into that realm of speculation. It would amount to putting the cart before the horse and some of these things are matters of strategy. So I would not discuss it. I am a strategist and any tactical person will not go and put these things on the pages of newspapers. We are optimistic. We are not going for if it fails, we are going for when it succeeds.
You are sure that the talks will be successful?
When we get there, we will know what to do.