Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan challenged violent Islamist sect Boko Haram on Thursday to identify themselves and state clearly their demands as a basis for talks, while acknowledging that military confrontation alone will not end their insurgency.

In an interview with Reuters at the presidential villa in the capital Abuja, Jonathan also said there was no doubt that Boko Haram had links with other jihadist groups outside Nigeria.

"If they clearly identify themselves now and say this is the reason why we are resisting, this is the reason why we are confronting government or this is the reason why we destroy some innocent people and their properties ,  then there will be a basis for dialogue," Jonathan said.

"We will dialogue, let us know your problems and we will solve your problem but if they don't identify themselves, who will you dialogue with?"

But he cautioned that the crisis would be much harder to resolve than the one in the oil rich southeastern Niger Delta, which was largely defused in 2009 under an amnesty he helped broker.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/32887/World/International/Nigeria-president-urges-Boko-Haram-to-come-out-and.aspx

has it come to this?

Why this Ijaw man dey fall Niger Delta people hand?!

Only the last Kano bomb sef, don kill pass the 21 police people wey Odi kill for bayelsa wey make Soljo dem enter tumble the full place.
Why we never send Soldjo them go tumble the full north. Atleast no how wey be say if soldjo them kill 1000 people for north wey like 75 of them insiide no go be Militant.

These bh pple are nothing but blood-sucking cowards.

I have alweays wondered why tĦey hide. If tĦey truly know tĦey stand for something, why not come out and show the world who tĦey are and what tĦey want. Bloody set of extremists.

A̶̲̥̅beg, the military should deal with them in the best way tĦey know how to.

. . . Good riddance to bad rubbish! >

Mr. President wants to dine with the devil on the same table. I'll advise he go and get a long spoon make im no hear GBOSA on im head!

You do not Dialogue with Terrorist! You fight them with all you Arsenal and wealth. That does not mean you shouldn't address problems that might lead people to carry arms for whatever reason in the first place. Address CORRUPTION, address Education and Poverty among-st the Northern youths.

A good challenge, let dem come out first and see who will dialogue with dem. Cowards!

I hope he knelt down like he did for Adeboye when making the appeal.

Why is this man talking like this. who are the boko haram that he's calling for dialogue? Mr GEJ, build strong your people. Give them sophisticated weapon. If feww people can sponsor boko haram, why can't the whole government of the whole nation and billions of able security men and women in the nation not armed with weapon to fight against this dreaded group. They are nothing but blood sucking demones who do not want to see human being. which table will you invite to come and sit for discussion? Becareful.

Have you guys seen this!!!!! http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=3162473108592

Have you guys seen this!!!!! http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=3162473108592

Kaboom!:

You do not Dialogue with Terrorist! You fight them with all you Arsenal and wealth. That does not mean you shouldn't address problems that might lead people to carry arms for whatever reason in the first place.[size=28pt] Address CORRUPTION, address Education and Poverty among-st the Northern youths.[/size]

p
Gbam!!! years of neglect and poverty,brought us in2 all these.We r only reaping what has been sown.Help me tell these 2 d ears of those peeps screaming break-up,break-up,break-up!!!!

These Terrorists AKA Boko Haram does not understand the non-violent language. They have been indoctrinated and they say they reject everything western by saying "Western education is Haram). Haram meaning Abomination in Arabic. Amnesty and that fiat settlement money are Western Civilization. They already rejected it from the outset.

These barbarians only BOW to superior power AKA sophisticated arsenal.

Even His Royal Highness of Kano: Emir Ado Bayero said; Boko Haram are not Spirits.

How do you dialogue with people who are not spirits? Vampires who take pleasure in killing innocent women,men and children in the most sacred places; Mosques and Churches.

Give me a break

This Odonyo president knows whats up in and out, he even confirmed my claim about boko haram with ties to external forces but fear go let am talk? Boko haram is AQIM is CIA.

This Local Fisherman self. Why are u descreating the office of the President?

philip0906:

p
Gbam!!! years of neglect and poverty,brought us in2 all these.We r only reaping what has been sown.Help me tell these 2 d ears of those peeps screaming break-up,break-up,break-up!!!!

As one born and bred in the epicenter of Core Northern Nigeria. I saw how everything unfolded in my own eyes. There has always been an undergoing radicalization and indoctrination process in this part of Nigeria. The Northern elites didn't help matters either when they left majority of their people uneducated to have their own independent minds and virtually uncared for. Was it a deliberate policy by these elites to remote control them whenever they wish, to use them as political tools when and if necessary? Is it part of their culture to look down on the downtrodden instead of give them the ladder to climb up? Their governors get revenues, what do they do with it?  These are questions that needs concrete answers.

I am really surprised at GEJ's stand on this, does really mean that we do not have the military might and intelligence to tackle the Boko Haram guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is becoming appalling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"come out and talk get money"

Boko-haram or wat dey call u,enough is enough!!GEJ,fear not

I might be out of line but to tell you, this just typifies the average Nigerian man, All talk no action.

GEJ, i question, when Osama bombed the Twin Towers, what did Bush do? did he dialogue? No. He sent some troops to Afganistan as a delivery message. We have troops being misplaced in lagos and the man is talking off point here. t's better if he keeps quiet as it is said, "A foolish man is thought wise in silence",

Done.

Don't you get it?  Jonathan is basically saying: "look, there is enough money to go round, don't put sand in our garri"
His statement is nothing but a desperate act of self preservation by a corrupt, incompetent, and clueless leadership, trying to cling on to power so that they can continue to bleed the country dry without any distraction.

I guess the Americans should have appealed to Osama Bin laden and come to the negotiating table, backward talk!

odechukwu is at it again; wants to dialogue with a terrorist group,
odechukwu why why why why?

GEJ is a coward to have said the govt would dialogue with these motherfucker, blood sucking rogues.
He should have read the handwritten on the wall that these animals with their financiers both within and outside government are hell-bent in rocking the boat of his govt.
GEJ open ur eyes now

Unless this is strategy to draw them out so that the soldier boys can riddle them with bullets, I don't think it's a good idea.

these bunch of dastard terrorists murdered innocent people in cold blood and the president wants to reward them with a sit on his table.

Sorry Mr. President, you and I are about to part ways as I am not convinced of the prudency of this approach.

NO NEGOTIATION WITH THE BOKO BASTARDS!

This president na akpa sef?? dey said NO to western education, now how do you negotiate with that instead of containing these olodos

In as much as i dont support dialogue with terrorists. I just think we should let them come forward and give them a listening ear. If the FG can give them what they request for without inconveniencing itself and its citizens, fine and if they cant then they should use all they have to crush them. Dont forget that America could afford to combat terrorism because the terrorists were not Americans and the terrorists were just about carryin out attacks on America and its citizens on American soil. They could checkmate it because they had the manpower, firepower, resources and intelligence. But as for Nigeria, they dont have the intelligence and these terrorists are Nigerians and are supported by some state Governments and highly placed Nigerians thereby making the fight against these terrorist yield no positive results.

PointB:


Sorry Mr. President, [b]you and I are about to part ways [/b]as I am not convinced of the prudency of this approach.

hmm first of it's kind. I'm loving this.  

seriously? so if i blow some people up will he dialogue me a million pounds?

whathappened to 'we do not negotiate with terrorists'?

o i forgot its only in america, besides they go around the world blowing up innocnet people instead.

CuteTj:

Dont forget that America could afford to combat terrorism [s]because the terrorists were not Americans and the terrorists were just about carryin out attacks on America and its citizens on American soil. [/s]

I think its high time we turned back the pages of time. BIN LADEN DIDNT DESTROY THE WTC. IT WAS A STATE SPONSORED TERRORIST ATTACK BY THE U.S GOVERNMENT. Please lets go back and really know what happened.

I love this challenge.  Let them come out and say what their case is.  There has been more than 7 versions of what they are asking for from even those who claim to know them.  

They don't want western Education
They want Islamist states
The want Sharia
Their members are being detained
Their financiers stopped their  "Allowances"
Their Leaders refuse to educate them for their selfish reason
They are retaliating the killings of Muslims by Christians etc.

No one can say exactly what their case is so let them speak now or die in silence.

Now@ Philip0906,  there is no "Gbam" in this case, if the north is poverty ridden, Why not meet the people who caused it.  North has produced more head of states than any other region and most of them are still living, how many of them hv they killed.  Why waiting untill Goodluck come on board.

@Kaboom!

First things first! The president's challenge is right, let them say what their case is.  Don't talk about education, i dont think u will blame the presidency for poor education in the north.  I served their and i know that even in Secondary the state I served was paying allowance to Sec. School students beside the free education.  3 credits and you hv automatic employment and even can gain admission in any college of education then.  Yet they wd prefer farming or getting married. The have about the finest roads, more constant light by the way, are they not the one who practice stratification  system in Nigeria in their religion? why worry for good life here?


Infact Nigerian challenge them to say what the matter is,  lets see if they are not politically being used by the big-wits and those past presidos still.  Hypocrites

Why are we acting as if we don't know what is going, a business man was arrested in U. K recently for shipping amunitions to Nigeria. I suggest GEJ arrest Atiku Abubakar. You can see that he's been quiet. He is agrieve and not happy, he is my no 1 suspect on this Boko people