Koffi Annan Advises Nigeria On How To End Boko Haram
As the Nigerian military continues to wage war against
the Islamist militants group, Boko Haram, in northern Nigeria, former
United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has advised the Federal
Government on what to do to end the sect’s insurgency.
Annan, who is in Nigeria to support next month’s general election in the country, while speaking on BBC World Service Radio stated that what the Nigerian military needs to do is to “talk to Boko Haram, as well as maintaining military pressure”.
According to Annan, the Nigerian government should not only use force against the insurgents but should also try to reach out to the terrorists to find out those sponsoring the Islamist group.
In his words: “In this kind of situation, you don’t have one policy you have to reach out to the terrorists to find out those behind them and that doesn’t mean the military should stop the use of force.”
Commenting on how the huge number of internally displaced people in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa State would be able to cast their votes in next month’s general elections, Annan said that those conducting the polls in Nigeria have told him that voting would be held in various camps of the displaced people in northern Nigeria.
The former UN Secretary General said he hoped whoever wins the
Nigerian election will focus on ending the insurgency before it spreads
further.
He said the international community can help, but cannot solve Nigeria’s problems.
It would be recalled that Annan was in Abuja on Wednesday at the election sensitization workshop organised by the presidency for political parties in Nigeria ahead of next month’s polls.
Koffi Annan Advises Nigeria On How To End Boko Haram Annan, who is in Nigeria to support next month’s general election in the country, while speaking on BBC World Service Radio stated that what the Nigerian military needs to do is to “talk to Boko Haram, as well as maintaining military pressure”.
Koffi Annan
According to Annan, the Nigerian government should not only use force against the insurgents but should also try to reach out to the terrorists to find out those sponsoring the Islamist group.
In his words: “In this kind of situation, you don’t have one policy you have to reach out to the terrorists to find out those behind them and that doesn’t mean the military should stop the use of force.”
Commenting on how the huge number of internally displaced people in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa State would be able to cast their votes in next month’s general elections, Annan said that those conducting the polls in Nigeria have told him that voting would be held in various camps of the displaced people in northern Nigeria.
Nigerian military men fighting Boko Haram.
He said the international community can help, but cannot solve Nigeria’s problems.
It would be recalled that Annan was in Abuja on Wednesday at the election sensitization workshop organised by the presidency for political parties in Nigeria ahead of next month’s polls.
Fourteen presidential candidates, including President Goodluck
Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari of the All Progress Congress (APC), signed a peace pact at the
occasion.
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