The Daily Beast reports that the Nigerian Government has revealed its openness to negotiations with the Boko Haram sect, following a series of recent attacks by the group that has pledged allegiance to the so-called Islamic State.
“If Boko Haram opts for negotiation, the government will not be averse to it,” Buhari’s spokesman, Femi Adesina, said in a statement released on Saturday. “Government will, however, not be negotiating from a position of weakness, but that of strength,” it said.
The BBC also confirmed from President Buhari’s spokesman, Femi Adesina the news on whether the Federal Government was considering negotiations with the insurgent group, and he replied in the affirmative.
He said, “If they are willing, why not? You know attempts have been made for negotiations in the past and they didn’t work. Every reasonable person would want to see the end to this insurgency. So if they are willing, why not? You can’t rule that out.”
However, President Buhari’s expression of openness to talk with the terrorists could be seen as a sign of weakness by many, but for now, we’ll all continue to hope and pray for a lasting solution to the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria and neighboring countries.
