[size=13pt]Maiduguri visit, not for negotiation — Obasanjo[/size]

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said his Thursday’s visit to the family of Mohammed Yusuf, the slain leader of the fundamentalist Islamic sect, Boko Haram, in Maiduguri “was a learning process.”


Speaking with our correspondent on the telephone, Obasanjo explained that he had refrained from making comments on the sect’s insurgence because he did not have sufficient information on the radical religious group.


The former nation’s leader denied that he was in Maiduguri to represent the Federal Government.


The ex-President was reported to have visited the family of late Yusuf last Thursday ostensibly to facilitate a negotiation between the Federal Government and the fundamentalist group.


He was said to have held a closed door discussion with some representatives of the family, led by the late Boko Haram’s brother-in-law, Babafura Fugu, with a view to brokering a truce that would ensure that Boko Haram would stop its violent attacks in some parts of the country and embrace peace.


As a result of the reports, some Nigerians concluded that the former President was representing the FG in order to open a door for possible negotiations between the government and the radical sect, which had claimed responsibility for a number of high profile bombings including the August 26 attack on the UN building in Abuja, where 23 people died.


Obasanjo, however, dismissed the reports, saying he was not in Borno State for negotiation.


“No, far from it, I did not go there for negotiation; my visit was a learning process,” said the former President.


“I have heard about the activities of Boko Haram but no one seems to know much about the group or its grievances. Everybody is just talking about Boko Haram. I wanted to learn and know what is actually going on so that we can know what we can do about it.


“If I have learnt, then, when I’m asked questions about what is going on in my country about Boko Haram, I can talk from the standpoint of information and knowledge. So, the visit was just to learn.”


He argued that it would be difficult for a group of people to just come together and start fighting without a reason, wondering if the reasons for the emergence of the radical Islamic sect had been uncovered.


“A group of people cannot just come together and start fighting and bombing. They are not mad people. Something must be responsible for their action; that is what we need to find out,” he added.


Obasanjo, however, denied that the visit was at the instance of the Presidency or the Federal Government, arguing that he had done what an elder was supposed to do.


The former President did not foreclose the possibility that he would nevertheless make some recommendations to the FG based on what he had been able to learn from the Maiduguri trip.


He said, “Well, that is not impossible; at least to ensure that there is peace. I will make the recommendations. It is left for the people in government to do whatever they want to do with such recommendations.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201109183131615

OAM4J:


“No, far from it, I did not go there for negotiation; my visit was a learning process,” said the former President.
“I have heard about the activities of Boko Haram but no one seems to know much about the group or its grievances. Everybody is just talking about Boko Haram. I wanted to learn and know what is actually going on so that we can know what we can do about it.

“If I have learnt, then, when I’m asked questions about what is going on in my country about Boko Haram, I can talk from the standpoint of information and knowledge. So, the visit was just to learn.”
He argued that it would be difficult for a group of people to just come together and start fighting without a reason, wondering if the reasons for the emergence of the radical Islamic sect had been uncovered.
“A group of people cannot just come together and start fighting and bombing. They are not mad people. Something must be responsible for their action; that is what we need to find out,” he added.
Obasanjo, however, denied that the visit was at the instance of the Presidency or the Federal Government, arguing that he had done what an elder was supposed to do.

BULL!!!

He, an ex-president, was not there to negotiate, but to "LEARN"  of the Boko Haram cause? Wow!

Obj is a master at twisting words. He has not changed one bit.

progress!!!

nice step to start from

A Process= I SpokeMAN down, Many Processes=

“I have heard about the activities of Boko Haram but no one seems to know much about the group or its grievances. Everybody is just talking about Boko Haram."

This is serious. No one knew much about the group, after these years and security spend? Anyway, I hope this single visit has availed him of the knowledge and learning he sought.

On a serious note, I guess people are beginning to see the motives behind his visit. The days ahead will tell.

What is there to learn about BH that we don't already know?

He claimed when he visited the family that he will get back to the family regarding the 100 Million Naira compensation, now he is there "Only to Learn", so he gave FALSE HOPE to the family, this is a reflection of what his governance was when he was the president , LIES and FALSE HOPE.


He claim nobody knows much about the group, yet GEJ claim "WE KNOW THEM ALL" including a former head of state from the northern region , as he claimed

what a shame on this country

Our responce to issues in Nigeria's bad especially when it has to do with the citizens.After many bomb blast and deaths of innocest people,an elder statesman is going to LEARN! about the people behinde it.We really need change in this country.

I wish a member of his family will be killed too like any of BokoHaram's victims, may be then he will learn how not to play politics with people's loss and grief. This idiot makes me want to commit murder every time he comes on.
By God's grace they will sniff out ur own life, may be then the learning process will begin for you.I wish a member of his family will be killed too like any of BokoHaram's victims, may be then he will learn how not to play politics with people's loss and grief. This idiot makes me want to commit murder every time he comes on.
By God's grace they will sniff out ur own life, may be then the learning process will begin for you.

@ jamane

There is a lot Nigeria/ Nigeria don't know abt Boko Haram. So so much, and a lot of pple have and our Government don't know.

Want Obj did was very necessary, I have never bin a fan of OBJ, but wat he did was worth it.

So intsead of nigeria attributing every Bomb blast to boko haram, we shld really know the truth of this radical group

Nothing good can ever come out from obj, evn at old age his appetite for evil deeds intensifies. What a responce from an ex-president, he went to the family to learn? God, why did u gather all dis evil men and placed them all in one country? Y dint u spread them evenly among other nations? Y do u always allow them grow old and keep vn their ways all the time? Gej shld also go on a pilgrimage to d family members of d murdered boko haram leader to us learn snc they dnt knw anything abt BH haram untill u get there. Obj shld pls tell us what he v learnt nw that he nvr knew b4. CLOWNS ARE INDEED RUNNING TINS IN 9JA.

And the said relative of the late boko haram leader obj went to see has been shot to death Is it not clear that these boko haram want their own country? ABEG HOW LONG WILL NIGERIA KEEP DRIVING WITH THE HAND BRAKES ON?

Then Obj should also go and learn the pain,agony and bereavement of those good people that were killed by this sect may be by that time he would have completed the learning process.

its ok, wit the learning process.

but, obj is a hero and a leader. truly a soldier.

he went there and came back.

this was wat i was expectng sambo to do. just like when yar'adua was d den president. he sent goodluck to d creek to chat wit d niger delta boys. the vice president took a flight and got to d place, and into a canoe that took him to d creek. guy!!! bone. when dz boys saw the number two man in a canoe.

them shock first,

Now, i was expectin sambo to do same.
take a flight to maid and use a donkey to that sahara for a chat wit his town boys on wetin dy provoke dem.

abi, na oil, or ground or government, no be BABA sege.

Uncle wole, go tanda somewhere for form activist, talk no dey cook rice.
sege, has made an impact and gradually this thing would stop.
nothing really lasts in nigeria.

@ OgaSir,

You mean OBJ is now the operational officer of the SSS, DMI or the nigerian police. Oh, I forgot he is an agent of the CIA. how can Nigeria improve when some people (
most probably from the same ethnic stock) support every irrational action if its rulers.

I am not an OBJ fan but this certainly a move in the right direction. Boko Haram is waging war against Nigeria and a war the country's security apparratus are not able to fight. Hence, they(security agencies) they need time to train their men and acquire the proper equipment. So, I assume these negotiations are means of government to buy time and not necessarily a spit on the grave of UN House bombing victims. It is all about strategy. They need time to get CcTVs, equip forensic labs, acquire bio-metric data of Nigerians e.t.c before you can fight terrosim.

Do folks even read? Obasanjo tells you here that

a) He did not go  to Boko Haram on behalf of Nigeria but for his own 'selfish' need to learn of the group

b) Tells you here that he did not engage in any negotiations

c) Did not anywhere suggest he learnt anything different from what Nigeria's SSS, or the public, or even wikileak has revealed of the situation


yet, many of you are still carrying on about how he is a hero to Nigeria, and how 'negotiations' by him yielded some nonexistent good. Are you people even serious?

The same broda-in-law that hosted OBJ during visit has now been mudered, though Boko Haram has not claimed responsibility, but the culprit is anybody's guess. This development lends credence to postulation in in some quarters that the bombers are not actually Boko-Haram but some elemnts from nothern extraction who yet to come to terms with the fact that a Southerner emerged as president again. Hence, they have resolved to destabilize GEJ's administration.

@Kobojunkie.u were d 1st 2 reply dis thread and u made ur point(less).pls,allow odas 2 say whats on their mind,u re not d only one who undastands english.to u,obj didnt try,but 2 majority of nigerians,he's a hero.

1luvkipsus:

@Kobojunkie.u were d 1st 2 reply dis thread and u made your point(less).pls,allow odas 2 say whats on their mind,u re not d only one who undastands english.to u,obj didnt try,but 2 majority of nigerians,he's a hero.

um . . . Bubblebrain . . . learn to READ . .  it is that simple . . .

again . . .

Kobojunkie:

Do folks even read? Obasanjo tells you here that


a) He tells you he did not go  to Boko Haram on behalf of Nigeria but for his own 'selfish' need to learn of the group

b)he also tells you here that he did not engage in any negotiations

c) he did not anywhere suggest he learnt anything different from what Nigeria's SSS, or the public, or even wikileak has revealed of the situation


yet, many of you are still carrying on about how he is a hero to Nigeria, and how 'negotiations' by him yielded some nonexistent good. Are you people even serious?

There is NOTHING in that article that suggests the man said/did anything of what more than 90% of those who have posted so far claim. If you will, at least believe what the man tells you. Not continue to yammer on about some disconnected logic, even the man does not claim.

@ tellwisdom

You OBJ twin brother, oya tell us. since you are now in his brain.

i guess you will only shot up like you asked others (who know nothing) to do.

Pot calling kettle black

Obasanjo Bauer of CTU went for intelligence gathering. We know how Bauers do.

May be He want to Belong u no is like dere is money dere now, But anyway he still remain a great man wit a great plan.

OBJ!!!! I dey laugh o, infact I dey learn ooo

OBJ who send you?, You do not represent us go an sit in your farm and wait until 2015 when we shall have a president with guts to send EFCC after you for corruption.

hmmm, i dey laughoo!

D visit is tactically ok. dont bliv all that obj said

jamace:

What is there to learn about BH that we don't already know?

So you are an expert in Boko Haram operatives.