Boko Haram: Vigilance group to meet Jonathan
From ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE, Kaduna
Monday, May 14 , 2012
Vigilance Group of Nigeria (VGN) said it has concluded arrangements to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan on national security issues this week, just as it called on the Federal Government to withdraw military men from the streets.
The group noted that security and peace could not be restored with soldiers on the streets when Nigeria was not at war with any country.
Speaking at the end of VGN 2nd national meeting held in Kaduna yesterday, the Commander General of the group, Alhaji Ali Sokoto, said the need to withdraw the military from the streets and return to the negotiation table with the Boko Haram sect was highly imperative.
According to Sokoto, it was not right to give soldiers guns while they roam the streets, harassing innocent civilians going about their legitimate businesses, querying that, “how then does the government think security can be restored in our country when Nigerians are feeling threatened by seeing soldiers on the streets?” While he opined that there should be an avenue for people to come together and solve their differences without the interference of security agents, VGN commander general urged the government to invite leaders of the Boko Haram sect for dialogue.
Speaking on the level of preparedness and the purpose of meeting President Jonathan, the Ekiti State Commander of the VGN, Mr. Ojo Olusesan, said considering the closeness of the group to the people and its presence in the villages around the country, VGN was capable of ridding Nigeria of violence.
While he stressed that though, the group was not undermining the capability of the military and the police, Olusesan said VGN could provide Security Information Data Base for government and other security agencies.
He, however, maintained that ways of assisting the government would be presented at the meeting with President Jonathan, adding that arrangements had already been concluded to meet with the president.
