President Goodluck Jonathan has ruled out using force against Boko Haram in Nigeria, brushing aside criticism he has not done enough to quell violence as the terrorist group wages a deadly insurgency across northern and central part of the country.

The president, who is on a two-day visit to Senegal said:

“The government of Nigeria will not move troops to wipe out a part of Nigeria, no, because terrorists … they mix with the civilian population so if you use superior fire power there will be a lot of casualties of people who are not involved. So you must be very careful … its a very delicate situation.”

He also indicated that attacks were decreasing by the group which is blamed for more than 1,400 deaths in Nigeria since 2010 in repeated attacks on security services, churches and other symbols of authority.

“Even if you listen to the incidents, the whole thing is coming down gradually and I assure you and of course the rest of the world that the Nigerian government is going to control it, we are on it.”

Speaking on Mali, President Jonathan said force is inevitable if negotiations with extremists failed to yield a solution.

“Diplomacy or negotiation is the first, military intervention is extreme. When negotiation fails that is the time you can talk about military intervention,” said Jonathan.

He said the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) would also need a United Nations mandate before stepping in.

“ECOWAS will definitely intervene militarily, but … first and foremost we are negotiating,” said the Nigerian leader after talks with President Macky Sall.

“We must stabilise the government … I believe through negotiation we will be able to resolve the crisis, we don’t necessarily need military intervention … but if that fails we will have no option.”

Mali this week formed a new unity government on orders from ECOWAS in the hopes it would be better able to deal with the country’s crises, and make an official request for military back-up from the regional troops.

The country is being run by interim authorities who took over from a military junta which ousted democratically elected president Amadou Toumani Toure on March 22, plunging the once stable nation into turmoil.

The ensuing political chaos allowed Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist rebels to seize control of the vast desert north, an area larger than France or Texas, where they have enforced strict sharia law.

The option of a military intervention from a 3,300-strong Economic Community of West African States standby force has been on the table for months but “very little” has been done to implement this, Mali’s Defence Minister Yamoussa Camara admitted recently.

Mali’s army chief of staff Ibrahima Dembele has said the Malian army — which is sorely in need of training and equipment — will play the lead role in ejecting the jihadists.

“No-one will fight this war in place of Mali, but the others will provide support, above all in the air and in logistics,” he said on Tuesday.

The UN has asked for more information on the size, means and plans of the proposed force before granting it a mandate.

ECOWAS on Wednesday urged the new government to swiftly organise elections and re-establish “territorial integrity”.


http://africanspotlight.com/2012/08/jonathan-rules-out-using-force-against-boko-haram/

What nonsense?! And FG want to use force on Mali if talk fails.
https://www.nairaland.com/1027075/force-inevitable-mali-talks-fail#11919215
I think it should be the other way round. This people better wise up

A very good stand by President GEJ.GEJ understands the situation very well.BH insurgence and Ansar Dine control of Mali are different and shud be treated differently.

Is there not a different bw saying d FG says it will 'not use force' against BH(which is a silly lie cos wot d hell is bn usd in Borno nd Yobe dat sm persons were accusing him of 'genocide') AND saying dat d FG said it will 'not use superior(maximum) force' on BH cos its an insurgency whose membas are interwoven wit d innocent civilians...i mean, it shldnt be hard to spot d diff..oh who am I kidding, when last did Truth hv any value 4 PROPAGANDISTS *smh*

Sealeddeal: A very good stand by President GEJ.GEJ understands the situation very well.BH insurgence and Ansar Dine control of Mali are different and shud be treated differently.

i pray that u, ur family member or loved one becomes a victim of BH so that we will join u in complimenting the president.

@topic,
the president is reserving the soldiers for peaceful protesters.