Briefing newsmen after the marathon meeting in Maiduguri, Sheikh Abu Mohammad Abdulazeez Ibn Idris a commander of Boko Haram in-charge of North and Central Borno, said after due consultation with the leader of the sect, Shiekh Abubakar Shekau, as well as intervention and pleadings from respected individuals and groups in the state, we “have all come to terms and agreed to lay down our arms.”
The Boko Haram Commander, however, insisted that government should immediately release all their members from custody unconditionally, re-build their places of worship and compensate them among other demands.
Sheikh Abdulazeez said that, the sect observed that during the lingering insurgency, a lot of Muslim women and children had suffered untold hardship, adding that, they also decided to lay down their arms for peace to reign in Borno and the country at large.
“I am appealing and calling on all our members through this medium to lay down their arms henceforth, till further notice,” Abdulazeez stated.
On the wanton killings, especially the slaughtering of eight people in Gajigana town of Magumeri Local Council of Borno State on Sunday and burning of public buildings, he disassociated Boko Haram from the acts, insisting that the atrocities were committed by criminals hiding under the guise of Boko Haram.
Abdulazeez’s comments read in part: “I am Sheikh Muhammed Abdulazeez Ibn Idris, the second Commander in-charge of Southern and Northern Borno after Imam Abubakar Shekau of Jamaatul Ahjlil Sunna lidawati wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram.
We the members of Jamaatul ahlil sunna lidawati wal jihad otherwise known as Boko Haram recently had a meeting and dialogue with the government of Borno State where we resolved that giving the prevailing situation, there is the need for us to cease fire.
We, on our own, in the top hierarchy of our movement under the leadership of Imam Abubakar Shekau, as well as some of our notable followers agreed that our brethren in Islam, both women and children are suffering unnecessarily; hence we resolved that we should bring this crisis to an end.
“We therefore call on all those that identify themselves with us and our cause, to from today lay down their arms. Let every member who hears this announcement relay it to the next member who hasn’t heard.
“We have met with the Borno State Government on two occasions and the fallout of the meeting is to cease-fire.
Presently, we are going to comply with the cease-fire order and by the time we are done with that, then government security agencies can go ahead to arrest whoever they find carrying arms or killing under our names.
We are very much aware of the fact that some criminals have infiltrated our movement and continued attacking and killing people using our names.
“We have also told the government to try to live up to our demands that our members in detention should be released.
We hope the government will not betray us this time around because we all know that it was because of the continued detention of our members that this crisis continued for this long. And if government fails to do as it has promised, then this conflict will never have an end.
“Of course there is a faction within us, but the larger faction of our movement is the one in support of this cease-fire moves. Moreover, once top members of our group including Imam Abubakar Shekau are in support of the need for ceasing fire, other smaller factions can be dealt with easily.
This message, by the Grace of Allah, comes directly from the office of Imam Abubakar Shekau, the supreme leader of Jamaatul ahlil Sunna lidawati wal Jihad.”
After 42 months of ceaseless attacks during which it killed about 3000 Nigerians, the Jama’atul Ahalis Sunna Lida’awati Wal Jihad, also known as Boko Haram Islamic sect, yesterday, agreed to lay down its arms for peace to prevail in the country.
The cease-fire was reached after a marathon meeting between some leaders of the group, which has been terrorizing some states in the North, particularly Borno since July 2009, and the Borno State Government.
The peace deal came after unknown gunmen killed 13 people in Gajigana town, a remote part of Borno State.
Those killed included three JTF operatives at the weekend. Also, a security man attached to AIT/Raypower in Bauchi State was shot dead Sunday night by a gang of suspected armed robbers.
The agreement between the Borno State government and the sect was reached after a closed-door meeting between suspected members of Boko Haram and Governor Kashim Shettima with other top government officials and religious leaders from the state in attendance.
Spokesman for the Joint Military and Police Forces in Maiduguri, which is the epicentre of Boko Haram’s campaign, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, confirmed the attack on Gajigana town but did not give further details.
An official of the Federal Government said on Monday that the government would critically study the group’s cease-fire terms before responding.
