Crucial Boko Haram ceasefire deal today:

Jonathan, Deby sideline Biya again

Move seen as conspiracy by the Nigerian and Chadian leaders to push the Islamic terrorist group to concentrate its activities on Cameroon soil

By Kristian Ngah Christian in Yaounde

If declarations by Mallam Danladi Ahmadou, the secretary general of the Nigerian Islamic sect, Boko Haram are anything to go by, then a crucial and genuine ceasefire deal between the Nigerian government and the terrorist group would be concluded today in the Chadian capital of Ndjamena.

Speaking in an Hausa service programme of the Voice Of America, VOA, Friday, Ahmadou who doubles as Boko Haram’s spokesperson said: “the final meeting between the group and the Nigerian government to finalize the ceasefire agreement has been scheduled for Monday October 27, 2014  in Ndjamena, Chad, to be supervised by the Chadian leader, Idriss Deby’’.

He stressed that as part of the expected landmark ceasefire deal, the Chibok girls would surely be released today Monday to the Chadian president, Idriss Deby for onward presentation to the Nigerian government.

He further disclosed that the Nigerian government was in close consultation with Boko Haram over arrangements for today’s meeting in Chad; pointing out that all things being equal, the issue of confrontation between the Nigerian military and the insurgents or vice verse would soon be a thing of the past.

On the latest kidnap of over 40 women and girls in the border villages of Adamawa and Borno states, Ahmadou insisted that Boko Haram is not aware of the incident, pointing out that although the matter was being investigated, the latest kidnap incident or attacks were carried out by many anti-social groups that had infiltrated the Islamic sect. Ahmadou stated emphatically that political thugs, armed robbers, kidnappers, hired assassins and other anti-social groups now parade themselves as members of the sect, but quickly added that if the cease fire agreement is sealed today as highly-expected, all the groups would fizzle out.

It should be recalled that last week, the Nigerian government announced a ceasefire with Boko Haram following agreement that the abducted Chibok girls would be released but the hopes were dashed about 48 hours later when suspected members of the sect carried out fresh rounds of attacks; killing several Nigerians and abducted another set of 50 women and girls in Adamawa and Borno states. The abductors reportedly freed the old women among the captives and married off about 40 girls.

Jonathan, Deby sideline Biya

Meanwhile, just like it happened during the failed ceasefire deal of last week, Presidents Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and Idris Deby of Chad have again put President Biya out of today’s ceasefire negotiation with Boko Haram in Ndjamena, Chad.

The development which could possibly stir a diplomatic row between Yaounde, Abuja and Ndjamena on the other hand has been interpreted by analysts as a conspiracy by Presidents Jonathan and Deby to push the Islamic terrorist group to concentrate its activities on Cameroon soil. “Keeping Cameroon out of a possibly Boko Haram ceasefire deal is as good as arming the militants against Cameroon,” a foreign diplomat told The Guardian Post on conditions of anonymity.

Also reacting to news that a Nigeria-Boko Haram ceasefire deal could be reached today in Ndjamena without Cameroon, former forestry and wildlife minister and renowned political scientist, Elvis Ngolle Ngolle described the development as a betrayal of the Paris summit that saw in attendance Presidents Biya, Jonathan and Deby. The three leaders, it should be recalled, were summoned to Paris recently by French president, Francoise Hollande, to reach common grounds on how to jointly fight and crush the Nigerian terrorist group.  

While asserting that as a sovereign state, the Nigerian government has the right to go into bilateral negotiations with Boko Haram, Ngolle Ngolle insisted that a multilateral ceasefire negotiation would have greatly been beneficial both to Nigeria and its neighbours. 

Hear Ngolle Ngolle: “It would have been more useful; at least diplomatically for Nigeria to have taken into consideration the plight of its neighbour, Cameroon, before engaging in a ceasefire deal with Boko Haram...Cameroon would have taken the interest of Nigeria into consideration if Yaounde were to negotiate a ceasefire deal with Boko Haram...”

Responding to Ngolle Ngolle however, a senior Nigerian diplomat who asked not to be named because Abuja has not authorised him to speak on the matter pointed to the fact that constantly giving huge sums of money to the terrorist group as Yaounde has been giving to free hostages taken on Cameroon soil was not only worse than going to negotiate with the sect behind Nigeria but was tantamount to arming the militants against Nigeria.

He particularly cited a recent report by the US-based online media organ, Sahara Reporters in which it was alleged that the Cameroonian authorities might have paid the Boko Haram insurgents at least $400,000 (over 200MFCFA) in ransom in order to secure the release of Amadou Ali’s wife and the rest of the captives. The money, according to the website, was given to the Cameroonian authorities by the Chinese government. Boko Haram subsequently released 10 Chinese road construction workers who had been held hostage since their abduction in May.

Sahara Reporters also alleged in the report that the Cameroonian government agreed to release four commanders of the Islamist group who had been in Cameroonian jails. Wrote the website: “The most disturbing part of the deal is that Boko Haram militants demanded and received a significant supply of arms and ammunition, including a guarantee by Cameroon that the weapons would have safe passage to insurgent fighters...”

 Also reacting to accusations that Nigeria has sidelined Cameroon in ceasefire negotiations with Boko Haram, a Yaounde-based Nigerian who goes by the name Samuel Okafor fired back: “What good neighbourliness are you talking about? What was Cameroon thinking when it was negotiating with the terrorists for the release of Minister Ali’s wife and those 26 hostages? Did they consider the plight of the Chibok girls?”

Meanwhile the armed forces of both countries have continued to step up efforts towards prevention and retaliation in case of further attacks. In Cameroon, three major generals were assigned last week to take the lead in the war against Boko Haram in the Far north region.They include army chief of staff, Rene Claude Meka, Elokobi and Mahamat.