"We seek forgiveness from the people over the amount of people killed in the country. I appeal to those who lost their beloved ones to our services to overlook our mistakes, forgive us and on our side we have forgiven all those who committed atrocities against us. I want to make clear that we are innocent in the unfortunate attack on the secondary school.”
With these statement, Imam Muhammadu Marwana, an influential member of the Abubakar Shekau-led Boko Haram sect, on Monday confirmed a ceasefire agreement with the Federal Government to end their deadly activities across most states of Northern Nigeria, which have claimed about 4,000 lives and destroyed properties worth billions of Naira since 2009.
The agreement came exactly 82 days after the Federal Government raised a 25-man committee to work out modalities for granting the amnesty to the sect.
Also, the Federal Government has confirmed that it had signed a ceasefire agreement with the militant group. Minister of Special Duties and Chairman of the Peace and Dialogue Committee in the North, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki announced the ceasefire agreement on the Hausa service of Radio France International in Kano.
The announcement came on the eve of the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan expected to start Wednesday.
President Goodluck Jonathan's Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki said:
“We have sat down and agreed that Jama’atu Ahlul Sunnah Lidda’awati wal Jihad, known as Boko Haram will lay down their arms as part of the agreement so as to end the insurgency. Government agreed with ceasefire and will look into ways to ensure that the troops relax their activities till the final take off of the ceasefire.”
Confirming the truce, Boko Haram agent, Imam Muhammadu Marwana, said: “This ceasefire, in sha’Allahu, from the time I am talking to you (Radio France Hausa Service) we have ceasefire because of the discussion held so as to have peace over this struggle.”
Sounding apologetic during the Radio news, Imam Marwana declared that “I appeal to those who lost their loved ones to our activities to forgive us and on our side we have forgiven all those who committed eatrocities against us”
07:07 Tue, 09 Jul 2013
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