Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has launched a move to free the more than 200 girls kidnapped by the Boko Haram sect from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.
Obasanjo, who confirmed this to Vanguard last night, however, dismissed reports credited to a foreign news agency that he held talks with representatives of the sect in his Ota farm last weekend.
He nevertheless confirmed that he was set to open explorative talks with the Islamic sect, having re-established contacts with a lawyer who mediated his discussion with the sect three years ago.
The foreign news agency had reported, yesterday, that Obasanjo held talks with representatives of the insurgents in his farm at Ota, Ogun State last weekend.
Asked to confirm the veracity of the report yesterday, the former president said: “Three years ago I tried to reach out to Boko Haram to find out what their problem was and if there was a leader one could talk to.
“He told me he was willing to do all that was stipulated and even more, but that his fear was that once he implemented those conditions he would be accused by the president and his people of being a member of Boko Haram,” Obasanjo quoted the governor to have said after the initial talks three years ago.
The former president, however, did not disclose the conditions laid down by the insurgents.
Obasanjo, who confirmed this to Vanguard last night, however, dismissed reports credited to a foreign news agency that he held talks with representatives of the sect in his Ota farm last weekend.
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| A Screengrab Taken on May 12, 2014 From a Video Released by Boko Haram. |
The foreign news agency had reported, yesterday, that Obasanjo held talks with representatives of the insurgents in his farm at Ota, Ogun State last weekend.
Asked to confirm the veracity of the report yesterday, the former president said: “Three years ago I tried to reach out to Boko Haram to find out what their problem was and if there was a leader one could talk to.
“I got a lawyer who provided the link between members of the group and I. They told me what the government should do to stop insurgency.”He said that he subsequently passed on the conditions set by the insurgents to Governor Shettima who pledged his willingness to do all and more of what the insurgents required.
“He told me he was willing to do all that was stipulated and even more, but that his fear was that once he implemented those conditions he would be accused by the president and his people of being a member of Boko Haram,” Obasanjo quoted the governor to have said after the initial talks three years ago.
The former president, however, did not disclose the conditions laid down by the insurgents.
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