Boko Haram not faceless – PDP

Contrary to the position of the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan that Boko Haram is a faceless group, the Borno State Peoples Democratic Party yesterday said the Islamic sect is not faceless.

The Borno State PDP Chairman, Alh. Baba Basharu who spoke to journalists at the national secretariat of the party also called for the sack of the Borno State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture Mr. Inuwa Bwala.

He said it was wrong for the Commissioner to have alleged that PDP was behind the killings in Borno State.

The Borno State PDP Chairman argued that Boko Haram is not a faceless group since their members are under detention.

He said, “There are plenty of Boko Haram members in security custody. Boko Haram is not faceless. There are people who don't want government to talk to them. That is our position.”

President Jonathan had, during his media chat on Sunday said Boko Haram is a faceless group.

Reacting to the question on dialoguing with Boko Haram, the President had said, “Presently, the government is not in dialogue with Boko Haram. There is no dialogue with any group. Though there was a news item that there is dialogue. The Boko Haram is still operating under cover.

They have no face. There is no way you are going to negotiate without a face. So far, nobody is discussing with the government, so far, no dialogue.”
But Borno State PDP chairman seems to disagree with the President as he said many of the members are in the security custody.

He traced the crisis in Borno state to former governor of the state, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff losing a senatorial election in 2011.

According to him, Sheriff had sworn not to lose any election but unfortunately he lost a Senate election to a PDP member.

Countering the Commissioner of Information in Borno State who had alleged that PDP was responsible for the killings in the state, he said the crisis in Borno precipitated out of control as a result of bad governance which led to massive unemployment, abuse of the youths of Borno and the subsequent show down between the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) government of Ali Modu Sheriff and the Boko Haram.

"On recorded messages in video, audio and newspapers, which are widely available, the sect vowed to take revenge on Sheriff and his associates. Since then, Borno and indeed Nigeria has not known peace.