BY Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North
“The government is bandied about like a ball”-
Cicero (106-43 BC).
The current efforts by the Nigerian Government to
rescue the over 200 girls taken by members of the
Boko Haram fighters from the Government
Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno State, on April
14 this year, could itself be described as a war of
some sort. But after many strident but failed attempts to liberate the captives from their
captors, it has become clear to the Nigerian
security men that the job requires more than
bullets, tanks and fire but more of serious
intelligence to keep the malevolent but ingenious
men at bay.
While the security agents’ goal is to uproot them
from the landscape and erase their memory from
the annals of history, the terrorists, who have
mastered the terrain in which they pitch their
tents of war, also want to render the
administration impotent in order to hoist their torn flags of caliphate system of administration,
which is alien to most parts of the country – and
indeed the whole world. But unbridled mistrust among the Nigerian
security agencies, whose duties it is to advise the
President, commander-in-chief of the armed
forces, to take accurate and decisive action
against the terrorists, has contributed in no small
measure to scuttle the efforts of Nigeria to win the war against the sect. A competent source inside Aso Rock Presidential
Villa explained to Sunday Vanguard that of the
many security agencies, which churn out bundles
of ‘security reports’ for the Presidency on a daily
basis, only two actually work together and agree
on several issues relating to the Boko Haram insurgents and their leadership. The source said that the inability of the Nigerian
security groups to work harmoniously for a
common goal had resulted in the presentation of
conflicting ‘security reports’ to the Presidency,
thereby causing more confusion in the system
than providing answers and clear operational direction against the insurgents. It was learnt that that the mutual suspicion
among the elite security agencies in Nigeria was
responsible for the confusion surrounding the
death of the leader of the Boko Haram sect,
Abubakar Shekau. It was gathered that while one of the Directors-
General of a security outfit had provided
incontrovertible evidence that Shekau was killed
since 2013, most other top brass working very
closely with the Presidency, had continued to
impress upon the President that the man was alive. For that reason, the President is said to have
adopted what an insider calls a “wait-and-see
attitude” towards the Shekau issue and believe
the director-general or doubt his claim. The confusion, it was further learnt, has given
room to some loyalists of Shekau to receive huge
financial support from the government under the
guise of helping the top security managers to
secure freedom for the abducted Chibok girls and
end the circle of violence in parts of the North- East. However, Sunday Vanguard sources hinted that
unknown to the government security managers,
most of the middlemen, who pose as close allies
of Shekau and other top commanders of the Boko
Haram sect, are actually businessmen, who are
merely keen on ripping off the government and not sufficiently connected with the sect leadership
to influence them in any way. Sunday Vanguard investigation showed that the
more money that was given to middlemen by the
Nigerian government to some individuals and
groups claiming to be working for Boko Haram
with a view to releasing the girls, the more angry
the real leadership of the sect had become and determined to frustrate all efforts to end violence.
During the planned release of the girls to the
Federal Government delegation, including
members of the International Committee of the
Red Cross, ICRC, at the Federal Government College
Yola, the team was frustrated for about two days.
While the ICRC team had quietly arrived Yola and checked into a hotel in preparation for the release
of the girls, the Federal Government delegation
came with a Boeing 737 belonging to one of the
commercial airlines in Nigeria. The plane, which
touched down with seven men, was to wait for
only two hours during which the captives were to be produced and handed over to the officials of
the ICRC and the Federal Government delegation.
But unfortunately, the plane was parked there for
nine hours and at a point, the pilot decided to
take off in frustration. “It was one of the most embarrassing moments
of our lives, as one senior military commander
had to run after the aircraft on the runway,
shouting at the top of his voice, and pleading
with the pilot to stop when he left in protest,” the
source explained. Unknown to the delegation that had been waiting
for the girls, Boko Haram commanders had called
off any effort to release the girls, when the
different security agencies could not agree on the
total number of the sect’s commanders in their
custody and their specific locations. “Trouble became imminent when Boko Haram
commanders gave a list of ten of its commanders
and asked that they be produced before further
discussion and the security agencies could not
produce even five. “Next, the sect negotiators came up with a list of
16 of its officials, whom they claimed were being
detained in various jails but the security agents
could not agree on their locations and did not
produce the number. The real problem is that the
sect leaders are asking for what the security agencies do not seem to know about. “We knew there would be trouble but we never
imagined that it could lead to an embarrassing
situation where the government would take a
plane to go and wait indefinitely at Yola airport
for the insurgents to release the girls and they
refuse.”
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/chibok-girls-conflicting-security-reports-scuttled-ceasefire-deal/#sthash.vAUMZVHl.dpuf

GEJ is a failure

This is really bad

the federal govt is just unserious.kill the bloody terrorist they wont kill,alright then negotiate they cant negotiate.they just dont want to put their acts together and curb this terrorism.i guess some 'big men' somewhere must be benefiting from this wahala..

Jonadaftt! The mumu planned to use the girls he had neglected for over a year to score undeserved political goal.


Please, Boko Haram for the sake of the parents, members of BBOG, and humanity sake, kindly release those girls to the President Jonathan who had vowed never to be useful as a president.

A lot of efforts and cash down the drain. Boko haram don scam mumu Jonathan

Truely i believe that one day this theatre of bloodshed and confusion in my beloved Country shall come to an end.

Clerverly:
Jonadaftt! The mumu planned to use the girls he had neglected for over a year to score undeserved political goal.


Please, Boko Haram for the sake of the parents, members of BBOG, and humanity sake, kindly release those girls to the President Jonathan who has vowed never to be useful as a president.

Atleast a drunkard is the president of a country that your father is a citizen. Why couldnt your father be chosen if you think he surpasses GEJ in any way? A very cool question though......

^^ are you in anyway related to any jona.daft? Or for what reason is the guy's view a concern of yours?

@post the government shot itself in the foot and made itself an object of ridicule and embarrassment with the handling of the negotiation right from onset.

The Chief of defense staff had no business annoucing a ceasefire and a purported release without a clear cut act of sincerity by BH. The annoucement should have come from an unknown military source to make it look like a rumor and easily deniable if things goes wrong like in this case.

But when you have your NO 1 military man relying on an unverifiable spokesman of BH and then rushed to the press in a foreign land to spew rubbish. Then we should know we are in deep trouble. BH has won this war of ridiculing and running down a whole CDS who ought to know but don't know. All his action since appointment shows a man who is so undeserving of the seat he occupies and he should end the show of shame and embarassment he has brought upon the country. I think he should resign.

But on a serious note. why is the president surrounded by daft, incompetent, clueless and unprofessional people? Is it a case of birds of a feather?

Bigcake:
Atleast a drunkard is the president of a country that your father is a citizen. Why couldnt your father be chosen if you think he surpasses GEJ in any way? A very cool question though......

may Thunder Fire....

.

In yoruba, the headlines will be like:

Boko haram mu ijoba apapo sere

OR

Ijoba apapa go ara re, o gbenu kale si air portu

In a nut shell, Jonathan na mumu

Vanguard is loosing it,at one point the repository said the middle men are business men,another part of the report is claiming Boko haram asked for the release of their top commandant,please which one are we to believe?
Incompetent newspaper,incompetent president.

And when the opposition cautioned that we be wary of the ceasefire and the return of the girls, the saTAN ambassadors wanted to chop their heads off calling them terrorists sponsors who don't mean well for Nigeria!!! Now look at this; they claim a ceasefire is in place yet fighting rages on with casualties on both sides and more innocent men, women and children abducted. They say the girls will be released last week wednesday, we saw no one, they shifted it to monday, yet again, Nada!!!

This government is an embarrassment to the citizens of this country!!

Yet Jonathan score F9 again after transferring Billions to SheCow and his boys. I just hope these Girls will make it home safely.

SLIDEwaxie:
In yoruba, the headlines will be like:

Boko haram mu ijoba apapo sere

OR

Ijoba apapa go ara re, o gbenu kale si air portu

In a nut shell, Jonathan na mumu

You funny gan !

I bet you, the whole thing was an imaginary deal dreamed up by GEJ's "negotiators".
Or did you hear any BH representative alluding to any ongoing 'talks' ?

What a shambolic set of people !

SLIDEwaxie:
In yoruba, the headlines will be like:

Boko haram mu ijoba apapo sere

OR

Ijoba apapa go ara re, o gbenu kale si air portu

In a nut shell, Jonathan na mumu

Yoruba news - always funny!

Bigcake:
Atleast a drunkard is the president of a country that your father is a citizen. Why couldnt your father be chosen if you think he surpasses GEJ in any way? A very cool question though......

People like you will defend an armed robber if he finds his way into power.

Automatically subservient.

Pathetic!

Previously, the Army passed information about that they knew where the girls were being held. Now this.

Keeps going from one farce to another.

what a government...why all the mis-information of the past two weeks.

Why would anyone respect the Presidency??

See how Boko Haram are slapping their heads left, right an center.

These are the wrong set of people to tackle this menace.

SLIDEwaxie:
In yoruba, the headlines will be like:

Boko haram mu ijoba apapo sere

OR

Ijoba apapa go ara re, o gbenu kale si air portu

In a nut shell, Jonathan na mumu

bros you mumu, see as you turn me to mumu for here..
i just dey laugh anyhow and people no know why

It's a shame

Picture of empty plane waiting at Yola airport or na big lie!!!

Antagonism and Politics have rendered so many of our brains thoughtless and many other minds heartless.

Even the actual political opponents are not this cruel to themselves rather their footsoldiers have reduced themselves to this abysmal low in rejoicing over a failed attempt to bring back Chibok girls.

I lost my only daughter to the most careless driver and understand the unending pain notwithstanding I have many boys.

At least I learnt to appreciate other people's children and exercise every patience while driving and offer any available help to see children at the arms of their parents.

Jesus wept for a reason we all know, not solely for the death of Lazarus but also the agony Mary and Martha had undergone because they perceive Jesus wasn't there for them.

My God keep the Girls safe until they are reunited with their families.

Politics should give way for humanity and compassion.

I was hoping against hope that our dear girls would be returned on Monday. Deep down however, I knew that something was amiss when the government announced the deal. You simply don't make such announcements until the hostages have been released.

Another senseless act by officials led by a dumb and clueless President. SMH

Ngwakwe:
Antagonism and Politics have rendered so many of our brains thoughtless and many other minds heartless.

Even the actual political opponents are not this cruel to themselves rather their footsoldiers have reduced themselves to this abysmal low in rejoicing over a failed attempt to bring back Chibok girls.

I lost my only daughter to the most careless driver and understand the unending pain notwithstanding I have many boys.

At least I learnt to appreciate other people's children and exercise every patience while driving and offer any available help to see children at the arms of their parents.

Jesus wept for a reason we all know, not solely for the death of Lazarus but also the agony Mary and Martha had undergone because they perceive Jesus wasn't there for them.

My God keep the Girls safe until they are reunited with their families.

Politics should give way for humanity and compassion.

Bashing the FG's failure to find a solution to this Chibok issue isn't rejoicing.

what a presidential shame. only a mumu govt negotiate with a terrorist.

Ok

ba7man:
People like you will defend an armed robber if he finds his way into power.

Automatically subservient.

You are very free to criticise the President, but never should you make use of foul words to qualify your reasoning.

O this is sad... I want these girls back home.... Mr President! Go back to your drawing board.