The federal government yesterday said that despite the recent declaration of ceasefire by a faction of the Boko Haram sect, it would continue with emergency rule in the three states of Adamawa, Borno, Yobe.
Minister of Special Duties, Barrister Tanimu Turaki in an interview with State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting, said that government would only lift the emergency when it is satisfied with the security situation in the affected states.
He said that “I think even with the declaration and announcement of ceasefire, the issue of the state of emergency will have to stay but in such a way and manner in which security agencies are fully satisfied that normalcy has been restored and that there is order and peace.
“Let us not forget the fact that with or without ceasefire, it is the serious and great responsibility of government to ensure that the lives and properties of loww abiding Nigerians are protected wherever they are and in whatever circumstances.”
Turaki, who heads the federal government amnesty committee for the terrorists, explained that “when a minister of the federal government speaks on behalf of government you wouldn’t say that you must see the president or the vice president there.
“We have spoken with somebody who is second in command as far as Boko Haram is concerned and he has informed the media that he has been discussing with us with full knowledge and authority of Imam Abubakar Shekau, and so we have no cause to doubt him.
“We have done checks on him, just as they have done checks on us also and we have realized that yes we are dealing with the proper people and with the proper leadership of the Organisation.”
In declaring the ceasefire, Turaki noted that the sect took note of the sincerity and efforts of his committee as well as the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.
“We are still working on the framework where we will sign an agreement and we will make that public where ever and whenever we agree on the time and place and the international and local media, all Nigerians will be privy to it; it is something that will be done openly and transparently for everybody to know that indeed not only have we been speaking with the proper people but that there has been a lot of good faith on both sides of the divide.”
The minister assured that the committee would continue to search for the Ansaru group which broke away from Boko Haram to ensure that all terrorists are prevailed upon to stop their violent campaign against the nation.