LAGOS - "WE are seeking forgiveness from the people over the number of people killed in the country.

I appeal to those who lost their loved ones to our activities to forgive us and on our side we have forgiven all those who committed atrocities against us. I want to state clearly that we have no hands in the unfortunate attack on the secondary school (Government Secondary School, Mamudo, Yobe State)."

With these words, Imam Muhammadu Marwana, an influential member ofthe Abubakar Shekau-led Boko Haram sect, yesterday, confirmed a ceasefire agreement with the Federal Government to end their deadly activities across most states of Northern Nigeria, which have claimed about 4,000 lives and destroyed properties worth billions of Naira since 2009.


The agreement came exactly 82 days after the Federal Government raised a 25-man committee to work out modalities for granting the amnesty to the sect.

Indeed, the Federal Government, yesterday, said that it had signed a ceasefire agreement with the militant group. Minister of Special Duties and Chairman of the Peace and Dialogue Committee in the North, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki announced the ceasefire agreement on the Hausa service of Radio France International monitored in Kano

The announcement came on the eve of the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan expected to commence today throughout the world and also coincided with a vehement denial by the insurgents that they had no hands in the murder of 30 boarding students of a secondary school in Yobe weekend.

Although details of the peace deal were scanty, Turaki who spoke in Hausa further said that the Boko Haram insurgents had agreed to lay down their arms.

"We have sat down and agreed that Jama'atu Ahlul Sunnah Lidda'awati wal Jihad, known as Boko Haram will lay down their arms as part of the agreement so as to end the insurgency. Government agreed with ceasefire and will look into ways to ensure that the troops relax their activities till the final take off of the ceasefire," Turaki told his interviewers.

Confirming the truce, Imam Muhammadu Marwana said: "This ceasefire, in sha'Allahu, from the time I am talking to you (Radio France Hausa Service) we have ceasefire because of the discussion held so as to have peace over this struggle."

The Boko Haram stalwart added that "we are seeking forgiveness from the people over the number of people killed in the country.

Sounding apologetic during the Radio news, Imam Marwana declared that "I appeal to those who lost their loved ones to our activities to forgive us and on our side we have forgiven all those who committed atrocities against us"

He added that "I want to state clearly that we have no hands in the unfortunate attack on the secondary school."

How the agreement was reached

A member of the presidential committee, which President Godluck Jonathan gave 90 days to hammer out a solution to the problem told Vanguard how the agreement was brokered. He said "Shekau's leadership came out through several fronts and set traps for us. The government gave them confidence, the confidence led to trust and they said they will call their men to cease-fire and they have done so."

Mixed reactions trail move

Meanwhile, Nigerians have received news of the truce with cautious optimism

A step in the right direction-Gani Adams

National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Otunba Gani Adams said it was a step in the right direction. Iin a telephone chat with Vanguard, 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."

Identity of the group should be ascertained - Afenifere

Also, Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere was of the view that the identity of the group calling for ceasefire should be ascertained. Speaking with Vanguard on phone, Afenifere's National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin said "We should be sure which of the Boko Haram sect is calling for a ceasefire. Is it a strategy to rule or what is it all about?

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?".

Govt should reciprocate -Balarabe Musa

In his reaction, 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.

Committee should not concede unnecessarily-Frederick Fasehun

"Nigeria has been on the issue of amnesty for long and if they have agreed on a ceasefire, that is commendable. I see it as a roadmap to peace. I hope the committee does the follow-up to this very well. But the committee should go on with their negotiations and should not concede unnecessarily."

Committee should go on with its mandate-Abubakar Tsav

Former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, on his part said: "The development is very encouraging. I am happy about it and I commend the committee for doing a good job. The committee should go on with its mandate in order to achieve a lasting peace. The committee should be encouraged the more at this stage to conclude its job."

FG must rise to the occasion-Arewa Youths

Commenting on the development, President, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shetima said in spite of the ceasefire, the Federal Government must address the issues that led to the insurgency.

Shetima said: "Whether they cease fire or not, the truth of the matter is that Nigerians must rise to the occasion. Last year, it was the same story we heard when they called for a ceasefire and still, they unleashed a lot of mayhem in Northern Nigeria.

Also, we must appreciate the fact that the whole of Northern Nigeria has been bastardised because everybody is now a member of Boko Haram. If they call for a ceasefire, what about the remaining factions? This does not mean that the Federal Government must go to sleep, the insurgency must be condemned totally."

[b]if this is true, then i'm the happiest man on earth today!*sings song of praise{zikir}*

"cautious optimism"? i have no micromillimeter cut of this. i believe this ceasefire will be fruitful this time around. and why am i saying this? it is opened for everybody to see the circumstances or events surrounding this particular ceasefire deal. the other ones that failed to materialised, prior to them{ceasefire} there was no "state of emergency or heavy military presence as it is now", there were no"civillian jtf " like it is now. so considering all this , one wld be forced to believe the 'near end' to this insurgency is at the hypabyssal or already on the surface.

those having fears over which boko haram members have accepted the ceasefire deal need not worry themselves as we have civillian jtf{pseudo-jtf}, the military jtf and boko haram members who have accepted this deal at our disposal to help us in fishing out those hiding under the name of the real boko haram and have been perpetrating all terrorist act not claimed by the real boko haram over the years.




lest i forget, the high point or achievement of the military offensive in the hotspot{troubled state} to me are:

1. CIVILIAN JTF: this, to me marked 'the begining of the end ' for boko haram or the insurgents; because without sympathizers there would not be room for them to operate from areas where ordinary people live. much thanks to the civilians who have summoned courage, deemed it fit to fight the bad elements among them and have since declared war against the insurgents, and also helped the jtf in their hunt. i doff my cap for una!

2.spate of bombings have reduced drastically as opposed to the 'unabated bombing spree' that was the case before the SOE was declared. megascopically, we can all see that as they're weakened from their centres, they resort to using arms or physical combat with the military, and this they cant win. the military can use their 'offensive method' in physical combat, but it cudn't work when bombing was the case. once again , i doff my cap in gej's style for una.


personally, i thinkthe best decision ever taken by gej is banning the nigerian football teams from international competitions at some point and the declaration of state of emergency in those states. i be pro-buhari, but i support gej die on this one.

if ebele sstop this insurgency, i fit vote am come 2015 [/b]

op, where ur source abeg?



'the first and the second to comment' like the former governor of kogi state, Abubakar Audu was fondly called by media houses then while he was in power as the 'first and the second' executive govnor of kogi state. *dances to psquare's personallyok, its ramadan. no singing and dancing *