Rights Activist, Shehu Sani And Journalist Ahmad Salkida Express Doubts Over Boko Haram Ceasefire Deal

A Nigerian journalist and an activist, who have both been involved in several negotiations with Boko Haram, have doubted reports on Friday that the Federal Government and the extremist sect have reached a ceasefire deal.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Alex Badeh, who announced the ceasefire deal Friday, directed all the service chiefs to comply with the agreement in all theatres of operations.

We had earlier reported, citing Channels TV that a deal was reached in N’djamena, the capital of Chad Republic, involving the Principal Secretary to President Goodluck Jonathan, Hassana Tukur, a representative of Boko Haram, Danladi Ahmadu, and a representative of the Chadian government.

However, journalist, Ahmad Salkida, and Kaduna based civil rights activist, Shehu Sani, who are both renowned for their access to the Boko Haram group, expressed doubts about the deal.

Mr. Salkida in several tweets Friday, accused the Nigerian government of chasing after “shadows and bubbles” as the leadership of the terrorist group confirmed to him that the purported ceasefire deal was “encased in deceit”.

See his tweets (read from bottom to top) below:

Screenshot (90)

Screenshot (89)

 

 

 

On his part, Mr. Sani said his contacts told him Boko Haram members have denied knowing any representative who goes by the name of ‘Danladi Ahmadu’.

“All my attempts to confirm the ceasefire deal did not produce any result. My sources are telling me that they don’t know who that person is”, Mr. Sani said.

He also said for Boko Haram to reach any ceasefire, such information must come from the leader of the group.

“Any statement that is not coming from the leader of the group cannot be said to be credible and will not be complied with by the group members”, he said.

In apparent reference to the leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau, whom the Nigerian Armed Forces said was killed in battle recently in Konduga, Sani, who is the Executive Director of Civil Rights Congress, said “the leader is the only person they respect and listen to”.