“We are not aware of any ceasefire with Boko Haram” – JTF; “Mr.President is aware” – Committee

A senior security source has disclosed to journalists that there will be no cessation of JTF military operations against the terrorist sect Boko Haram. According to the source the Presidential Committee that brokered an agreement with Boko Haram did not carry them along and as such the crack down on the militants is geared to continue. His words: “We will continue our crackdown on the terrorists until we are sufficiently convinced that they have laid down their arms and denounced terrorism. “As far as we are concerned, we are not aware of that ceasefire they are talking about, and we are not reckoning with it.” However another source in the Presidential committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North have said that the JTF is simply blowing smoke as the president is aware of the development. The committee member who wishes to remain anonymous said, “I don’t want a situation in which it will appear as if there is crisis from the government side. Mr. President has been carried along; so, if anybody is claiming that they are not aware, it is not our problem. “We are not working under the Minister of Defence or Chief of Defence Staff. We are a presidential committee and we talk with the President and we have done our duty.” Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Taminu Turaki (SAN) disclosed last week that the committee had reached an informal agreement wit Boko Haram to ceasefire and that a formal agreement would soon be signed with the group. He said, “It is not an agreement; we have reached an understanding with the leadership of Boko Haram arising from weeks of discussion and interface that we have been having with them. “We will now move to the issue of parameters for an agreement and then when we are able to agree on the terms, the signing will be done openly and all members of the press will be invited. “But for now, they have agreed in principle that they have declared a ceasefire, which we commended as it will facilitate the solving of the problem.”