Jonathan urges Boko Haram to state demands

AL Jazeera  English Africa

Nigerian president says government will engage in "dialogue" if Boko Haram identify themselves and state clear demands. Last Modified: 27 Jan 2012 03:49 inShare9

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has challenged Boko Haram to identify themselves and state clearly their demands as a basis for talks. "If they clearly identify themselves now and say this is the reason why we are resisting, this is the reason why we are confronting government or this is the reason why we destroy some innocent people and their properties ... then there will be a basis for dialogue," said Jonathan on Thursday. "We will dialogue, let us know your problems and we will solve your problem but if they don't identify themselves, who will you dialogue with?" In an interview with Reuters at the presidential villa in the capital Abuja, Jonathan said there was no doubt that Boko Haram, a radical Islamist group, had links with jihadist groups outside Nigeria. The group killed more than 500 people last year and more than 250 in the first weeks of 2012 in gun and bomb attacks in Africa's top oil producer, Human Rights Watch said this week. Boko Haram threats 'I will give that order [to attack] again and again,' the voice in the video said [AFP] Meanwhile, in a message posted on YouTube, the purported leader of the group issued new threats while also saying last week's attacks in Kano were over the torture of its members. "We were responsible," a voice identified as that of suspected Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau says in audio played over a picture of him. "I ordered it and I will give that order again and again. God gave us victory." A purported spokesman for the group had earlier claimed responsibility for coordinated bombings and shootings on January 20 in Kano which left at least 185 people dead. Police stations were the main targets. Unclear demands The authenticity of the message could not be independently verified, but the photo matched up with previous ones said to be of Shekau and the voice was similar to earlier recordings. Boko Haram, whose name means "western education is sinful", was formed in 2003 in the remote, northeastern city of Maiduguri. It launched an uprising against the government in 2009 that security forces crushed in days of fighting that killed around 800 people. Mohammed Yusuf, the groups then-leader, was captured and died in police custody during those battles, triggering vows of revenge from other members of the sect which they now seem to be honouring in attacks on security forces and authority figures. The group's members have said they want to impose Sharia law across Nigeria, although Jonathan doubted they had clear aims. "There is no clear thing to say: this is what we want," he said.

Source: Agencies

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