“I’m Not Part Of Federal Government/Boko Haram Ceasefire Talks”, by Blueprint Reporter Ahmad Salkida

“In the past few days a deluge
of phone calls from individuals
claiming to be media reporters
requesting information “on my
involvement with the Federal
Government’s negotiation with
the Jama’atu Ahl-Sunnati Lil
Da’awati Wal Jihad otherwise
known as Boko Haram Islamist
sect.” More surprisingly,
newspaper publication went as
far as reporting that I was
involved in an imagined
negotiation allegedly between
the Federal Government of
Nigeria and the ‘Boko Haram’
sect. It has become extremely
imperative, on account of these
developments to make public
my position. As a practicing
journalist, I had opened and
maintained invaluable
professional contacts with the
leadership of the sect. I have on
the basis of this professional
position reported, often
exclusively, sensitive insights
on the operations of the sect. I
still maintain valuable
professional line of
communication with the sect.
“I have keenly followed insinuations
in the media about planned or on-
going dialogue between the Federal
Government and the sect. It is my
personal prayer that whatever
machinery that that needs to be
deployed to end the apparent and
depressing war situation in Nigeria
accomplishes immediate and
effective peace. Nevertheless, at
personal or official level I have not
been approached neither by the
Federal Government, its agents nor
the Boko Haram sect respect of any
negotiation or dialogue and do not
hesitate to declare that I am not
part of any imagined at any level.
“As a patriotic, professional and
concerned Nigeria, I will not hesitate
to consider it should the
government seek to benefit from
my insight but let it be known that
as at now, no such engagement
involving me is in place yet.

Thank you.”