Bode Olagoke
An international security expert and Professor of Criminology, Prof. Declan Ihekowoaba Onwudiwe, has said that there was nothing wrong for the federal government to negotiate with Boko Haram in order to free the abducted girls.
He said negotiation with the terror group “does not mean the country is weak,” adding that other countries, including the United State of America (USA), had negotiated at one time or the other.
He stated this yesterday in Abuja when he delivered a paper on terrorism in Africa at a security conference organised by Nigeria Security Exhibition and Conference (NISEC).
He said: “There is nothing wrong in negotiations, if Nigeria negotiate with Boko Haram to release our girls does not mean Nigeria is weak. There is no country, including the USA that has not engaged in negotiations before.”
In an interview with journalists shortly after the event, the security expert said: “I give you one unique example and that is IRS, as you know Britain and the United Kingdom has all the military capabilities, but the still negotiated with IRS and Jerry Adams, who was the leader, is now a Member of Parliament in Ireland. So, it is good to negotiate, but you don’t have to let the whole world know that you are negotiating.”
Commending the organisers, the Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ade Abolurin, said the programme had come at the right time, considering the insecurity the country is currently going through.
The convener of the event and the chief executive officer of NISEC, Comrade Frank Ohwofa, said the programme would come up with strategies to keep the country safe.
He said: “So, what we are advocating is that we just need to work together, to synergies with all the efforts whether you are in the Armed forces, Police or you are a civilian; we all have a role to play.”