Disappointed Northern Elders Say Jonathan Has Declared War On The North

French soldiers in operation Serval in Mali

Northern elders, yesterday, said the declaration of state of emergency on three states in the North by President Goodluck Jonathan is an indirect declaration of war on the region.

The northern elders were taken by surprise, as the declaration came just weeks after President Jonathan accepted a roadmap on how to end the Boko Haram insurgency from the Northern Elders Forum, NEF. Apparently, their advice wasn’t good enough for the president who seemed to be following it to the letter until he took a sudden detour.

The elders had successfully impressed upon the Presidency to raise the Boko Haram committee to dialogue with the sect to restore elusive peace to the region.

Jonathan, who met with the NEF leadership in Abuja in April, subsequently inaugurated the Turaki-led committee with a mandate to broker peace with the sect and compensate their victims within a two-month time frame.

However, after inaugurating the panel, the sect leadership rejected the amnesty offer, saying that it was the government that should seek amnesty for having killed its Muslim brothers.

But irked by continuous bloodletting in several parts of the north, President Jonathan on Tuesday called on the armed forces to move into the states of Borno, Yobo and Adamawa, arrest suspected terrorists and restore peace in those places.

Many reports indicated that soldiers armed with armoured tank were already on the ground in the affected states preparatory to take out terrorists from their strongholds scattered in the North Eastern part of the country.

But a spokesman for the NEF, Prof Ango Abdullahi, who relayed the position of the group, told Vanguard that they were disappointed by the sudden change of tactic by Jonathan on how to resolve the crisis in the north.

33 COMMENTS

  1. The state of emergency in 3 states in the north is a welcome decision by the president,let the northern elders say whatever the may,they forgot that the economy of the T north is been affected by the Boko Haram activities,so what Jonathan has done is to restore peace & their economy which they can not do by themselves.Though they may pretend by condeming Jornathan’s decision but within them majority are happy bcos nobody would like to die by the terorist activities and hav been waiting for such occassion.
    KUDOS TO MR.PRESIDENT FOR SUCH A BOLD STEP THAT PROVES YOU ARE A MAN.

  2. Prof Ango & his fellow dumb ‘so-called’ northern elders shd kiss d nations ass & go to hell where their fellow boko haram members re already languishing. Mr President has 4 d first time acted like a real C-in-C I say carry go ur excellency.

  3. Mr President ,i join you in the campaign of the total excommunication of these good for nothing fools.The so called northern elders are members of boko haram so why wont they complain?

  4. let the NEF go to hell, wud they v wished that GEJ folded his hands while d blood of d innocent civilians n JTF are shed everyday? perhaps they r bloodsuckers… i guess its cos they r not affected cos they shield themselves not considering d harmless commoners

  5. See how selfish and inhumane our so- called ‘elders’ are? Only concerned about their individual political careers, each one not wanting to speak the truth against boko haram for fear of being caught on boko haram’s ‘wrong side’. They sit far away in their Abuja mansions away from the plight of the common man, running for his life in these boko haram saturated states. Where was their opinion when the SOE was declared on Plateau state? God will arise and judge them even in the ‘safety’ of their Abuja mansions!

  6. why is every one surprise about the reaction of northern elders?am not surprise about their reaction,why because without their financial support, the boko haram will not be able to distop the peace of the poor Nigerians,all the money they used in buying the expensives weapons they are using in Killing the poor Nigerians are all coming from the Northern leaders,the are Boko haram sponsors,they are in every part of this government including the president’s cabinet,that is why even the government cannot arest them,why? because they believe that they very strong,rich,powerfull and the are the Government,they may be above the Law but the judgement of God await them and their days are number.

  7. This state of emergency is the greatest gift from our honorable president for the pass 3yrs. But wait a minite where are those evil ex general and politicians saying heaven will fall. Are they regrouping, forming another political alliance to stratigise before they start their war? God will judge Anglo and his evil northern elders for the innocent blood they are sheding. Pls. mr president do not sleep until God disgrace them bicos by their you shall knon them. We love u but becare because now they will pretent to be friends but in their heart is a drawn dagger.

  8. The northern killers who call themselves elders deserve to be killed by the JTF.kudos mr president,but be careful with some of the military men from the north..they are agents of those devils boko haran.

  9. I am really ashamed for these §ø calld NEF, its quiet dishartening to see such rubbish statements made by dem.. We ar lookin for Ħ̀́̀́̀☺ω to curb this insurgency and dey are busy saying rubbish. Wat a̷̷̴̐͠ shame. If such statements can be made then our country is indeed doomed. These people are §ø unreasonable. §ø sad

  10. GEJ u ave made best decision and what i ave been willing to see,leave d elders they are all BH but pls tell d army nt to respect them rather kill them all,we yoruba support ur decision and God b wit u.

  11. Is it Boko Haram that is really behind the insurgency in the north? Man can only hind for man but not God. Jonathan and his supporters who are perpetrating in this evil under the disguise of Boko Haram will surely pay for this very soon insha Allah. I pray to God to reveal and disgrace whosoever is behind security in insurgency in Nigeria, in the north particular.

    • @ Mutana- you must be blind and dumb. Can a house divided against itself stand? If Bokko Haram were an arm of the government, do you think a leader would go killing its subjects with impunity? What does the government gain from destroying lives and properties? Boko Haram are a radical satanic muslims who have the agenda to Islamize Nigeria. And it’s not possible because this is a circular nation. The muslims in the north are sympathizing with the terrorists, and forgetting the evil they are unleasing on innocent people. Go to Maiduguri and some local governments, Christians are been singled out and killed. Christians cannot travel to Bama, Gamboru and Biu freely again because of the insurgency. Stupid Aboki like you.

    • I think you re blind by making such a stupid comment,where e Boko haram when power is in the north? Is it because power has changed hands thats why you heartless evil minded hausas re killing and maiming innocent lives, trying to make the nation ungovernable for Pres. Jonathan so that he will be impeached and removed so that the north can grab the power back.Let me tell you,God cannot be mocked, whatever a man soweth that he must surely reap.Boko haram is a northern propaganda n they re reaping the dividends of it.For every single soul boko haram has wasted, the Army should exterminate millions of hausas because they re wicked,jealous,evil,heartless etc.I pray that the country Nigeria should be divided so that the north and it’s people shall enjoy their boko haram well.

  12. Only in the eyes of the wicked evil is seen right because while their eyes are open they are blind with the blood of innocent souls that are crying aloud to God for vergers. NEF will know no peace till every innocent blood shed by b/h is avenged.

  13. THE INSURGENCIES SO CALLED BOKO HARAM ARE SETUP FROM NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION AND MUST OF THEM ARE IGBO FROM EASTH BEFOR KABIRU SOKOTO THOUSAND AREST HAS MADE BUT NON OF THEM SEND TO COURT FOR TRIAL BECOUSE THEY ARE CHRISTIAN FROM EASTH.

  14. Dis matter is’nt matter dat we surposed to quarrel with our selves coz anybody knw dat all d bokoharam what they a’v done is’nt gud at all, 4get dat is a muslim or a christain is bokoharam,they a’v there own group dat they ar called d b/h.nd then a’v there own leaders dat sponsor them,is nt in d Qura’n dat we shld killed our self.so ur exc.sir mr president plz contineu let all does state a’v peace God be with you sir.