Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural umbrella organization, has called on the Federal Government to disband
immediately the 26-man ‘Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North,’ also known as the Turaki Committee, and to probe its chairman, Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, concerning the “hoax ceasefire” with the group that he announced.
The group spoke through a press statement signed by Yinka Odumakin, its National Publicity Secretary in which it commented on renewed Boko-Haram violence.
“The escalation of violent campaigns by the blood-sucking Boko Haram which claimed scores of lives in separate attacks in Borno and Kano States within 48-hours should be a rude awakening to the Federal Government that it should seek yet no repose,” the statement said, pointing out that the government appeared to have been lured into a false sense of security so the sect could re-strategize for more devastating attacks.
“It would be recalled that all manners of “leaders” and “statesmen” were piling pressures on the government to enter into dialogue with the terrorists before the state of emergency was declared in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states weeks ago.
“The military action that followed the bold move by the government led to a bomb holiday in the North East which has been the headquarters of insurgency.
“Thereafter, the coordinated assault opened an added axis of evil in the North West to continue the low-intensity warfare, assault and killings.”
Afenifere said it was in the midst of all that Alhaji Turaki announced that he has secured a ceasefire with Boko Haram which was then disowned by Boko Haram.
“The latest dangerous assaults being launched by the group clearly suggests that Alhaji Turaki may be working for a fifth column,” it said, calling for an investigation
The group further said that what is required now is to strengthen the military and allied forces in hunting down the Boko Haram elements by spreading the dragnets nationwide given new maps being drawn by their activities.
“The government should not hesitate to take all constitutional measures necessary to maintain law and order in any new corridor that the sect may be opening while intensifying the on-going military action in the states under emergency. Evil must be confronted not appeased.”