ACF backs ceasefire deal with Boko Haram

Boko Haram member

Pan-Northern socio-political group, Arewa Consultative Forum, on Tuesday said it would support any agreement that would end the hostilities caused by Boko Haram in the North.

The forum was reacting to the declaration by Minister of Special Duties and Chairman, Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki that the Federal Government had “reached an understanding” with the militant sect.

The minister, who spoke on Monday in a Hausa Service of the Radio France International, said, “We have reached an understanding with the leadership of Boko Haram arising from weeks of discussion and interface that we have been having with them.

“A declaration has been made… and a formal agreement will be signed soon.”

Lauding the initiative, the ACF said the move came at a time it was collaborating with other stakeholders to ensure the Islamic sect embraced peace.

The forum National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, who spoke with our correspondent on Tuesday, said the body believed that the use of force would not solve the problems of the sect.

The ACF, he maintained, would always prefer dialogue to engaging in force to return normalcy to the region.

Sani said, “You would recall the Federal Government had informed the nation that it needed the state of emergency in order to enable it to reclaim the seized Nigerian territories held by the sect; and that military actions would not preclude the dialogue option.

“ACF supports this approach of stick and carrot with proviso that excessive use of force will not be allowed and that the rules of engagement will be observed strictly.

“That is why any agreement with the sect to cease hostilities in order to make for constructive dialogue would not be out of place.”