The Federal Government is insisting that new
abductions and fightings are not enough to threaten the ongoing talks
with Boko Haram.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb. Aminu Wali told the media that the government was hopeful of a fruitful outcome of the talks brokered by the Niger Republic President Idris Deby.
Wali spoke when he received the Foreign Minister of France and Germany, Mr. Laurent Fabius and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in Abuja.
Wali, who did not rule out the existence of a splinter group in Boko Haram, also noted that the latest abductions and attacks may not have been carried out by the sect whose representatives are in talks with the Federal Government.
He said: “Yes; there is a ceasefire and negotiation is still going on and we expect a lot of progress have been made and soon we will announce exactly where we are. Of course, when the negotiation is still on it will be delicate for us to start making pronouncement; until after we are sure of what we have been able to achieve.
“The question of the Chibok girls, yes, they are part of the discussion and they are part of the negotiations.”
On the recent abductions, Wali said: “This is something that has been going on for sometime now. And, of course, the statement issued by one of the Boko Haram that those ones were done by either rogues or criminals and not Boko Haram. So kidnapping in Nigeria has been going on for sometime, not by Boko Haram, but by criminals and miscreants. But we also suspect that some dissidents of non-Boko Haram body could probably have gone to break the ceasefire, but certainly this is not something that will threaten the negotiation that is going on. Also, we have made efforts to bring back those who were kidnapped.”
Meanwhile, the visiting European ministers announced that they were ready to support any effort towards a ceasefire.
Besides, they are working on a humanitarian force to assist Nigeria and other West African countries in handling humanitarian issues.
Victims of Boko Haram and those of natural disasters will benefit from the initiatives after the approval of the European Union (EU).
Besides, the duo noted that they would be helping Nigeria to train 200 healthcare professionals.
The duo and their delegations had earlier visited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) where they promised to support the commission in conducting free and fair elections in 2015.
Fabius and Steinmeier warned that Nigeria’s image is at stake in the coming 2015 general elections, stressing that “because of the importance of Nigeria, “we agreed to have direct contact with Nigerians (Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the Commission”.
They however expressed the hope that the commission would overcome the challenges as it did in 2011 and, at the end, conduct free, fair and transparent elections.
The visiting ministers also noted that the European Union (EU) was willing to contribute to the success of the commission financially and also dispatch a EU observer group.
The ministers also said that they were willing to know the country’s approach to security and displaced people ahead of the elections.
Jega had noted that the commission was fully aware of the enormous responsibility to conduct free, fair and acceptable elections.
He also noted that the security challenge notwithstanding, the Commission was set to conduct elections across the country.
Jega, who recieved the visiting ministers, assured them that the commission had done everything possible to ensure that no one would be excluded from participating in the February 2015 general elections as a result of the activities of the Boko Haram group in the Northeast.
He noted that the commission was hopeful that the security challenges would have been over before the elections.
Jega said: “Security is a challenge. We cannot underestimate it, but we feel we can conduct elections across the country.”
He stressed that the prayer of the commission is that before 2015 elections, the fighting against Boko Haram would have been concluded.
He therefore stressed, “we will deliver free, fair and credible elections. There are challenges no doubt but we will succeed.” SOURCE THE NATION
Minister of Foreign Affairs Amb. Aminu Wali told the media that the government was hopeful of a fruitful outcome of the talks brokered by the Niger Republic President Idris Deby.
Wali spoke when he received the Foreign Minister of France and Germany, Mr. Laurent Fabius and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in Abuja.
Wali, who did not rule out the existence of a splinter group in Boko Haram, also noted that the latest abductions and attacks may not have been carried out by the sect whose representatives are in talks with the Federal Government.
He said: “Yes; there is a ceasefire and negotiation is still going on and we expect a lot of progress have been made and soon we will announce exactly where we are. Of course, when the negotiation is still on it will be delicate for us to start making pronouncement; until after we are sure of what we have been able to achieve.
“The question of the Chibok girls, yes, they are part of the discussion and they are part of the negotiations.”
On the recent abductions, Wali said: “This is something that has been going on for sometime now. And, of course, the statement issued by one of the Boko Haram that those ones were done by either rogues or criminals and not Boko Haram. So kidnapping in Nigeria has been going on for sometime, not by Boko Haram, but by criminals and miscreants. But we also suspect that some dissidents of non-Boko Haram body could probably have gone to break the ceasefire, but certainly this is not something that will threaten the negotiation that is going on. Also, we have made efforts to bring back those who were kidnapped.”
Meanwhile, the visiting European ministers announced that they were ready to support any effort towards a ceasefire.
Besides, they are working on a humanitarian force to assist Nigeria and other West African countries in handling humanitarian issues.
Victims of Boko Haram and those of natural disasters will benefit from the initiatives after the approval of the European Union (EU).
Besides, the duo noted that they would be helping Nigeria to train 200 healthcare professionals.
The duo and their delegations had earlier visited the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) where they promised to support the commission in conducting free and fair elections in 2015.
Fabius and Steinmeier warned that Nigeria’s image is at stake in the coming 2015 general elections, stressing that “because of the importance of Nigeria, “we agreed to have direct contact with Nigerians (Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the Commission”.
They however expressed the hope that the commission would overcome the challenges as it did in 2011 and, at the end, conduct free, fair and transparent elections.
The visiting ministers also noted that the European Union (EU) was willing to contribute to the success of the commission financially and also dispatch a EU observer group.
The ministers also said that they were willing to know the country’s approach to security and displaced people ahead of the elections.
Jega had noted that the commission was fully aware of the enormous responsibility to conduct free, fair and acceptable elections.
He also noted that the security challenge notwithstanding, the Commission was set to conduct elections across the country.
Jega, who recieved the visiting ministers, assured them that the commission had done everything possible to ensure that no one would be excluded from participating in the February 2015 general elections as a result of the activities of the Boko Haram group in the Northeast.
He noted that the commission was hopeful that the security challenges would have been over before the elections.
Jega said: “Security is a challenge. We cannot underestimate it, but we feel we can conduct elections across the country.”
He stressed that the prayer of the commission is that before 2015 elections, the fighting against Boko Haram would have been concluded.
He therefore stressed, “we will deliver free, fair and credible elections. There are challenges no doubt but we will succeed.” SOURCE THE NATION
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