EX-PRESIDENT JONATHAN DENIES NEGOTIATING WITH BOKO HARAM

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has cleared
the air on whether his government negotiated
with the Boko Haram sect.

In an interview with Quartz, a news website, on
the sidelines of his recent press conference at

Geneva, Switzerland, Jonathan said, “I did not
negotiate with Boko Haram. The government
never set up a team.”

But his response puts a question mark to claims
by his spokesman, Reuben Abati, and Hassan
Tukur, his principal private secretary, that the
then government was finalizing a peace deal with
Boko Haram.

Reacting weeks later, Abubakar Shekau, Boko
Haram leader, in a video, debunked any peace
talk.
He said, “We have not made ceasefire with
anyone. We did not negotiate with anyone…We
will not negotiate. What is our business with
negotiation? Allah said we should not.”

Jonathan also denied the allegations of
corruption against his government.
“Sometimes people think that I was President
since the independence (of Nigeria) and not for
five years.
“Sometimes they say that we have lost over
$150 billion in funds in the five years that I
was President.
“Because of politics, some people came up with
more money and say that $49.8 billion were
missing within 18 months,” he said in reference
to former Central Bank governor, Emir Sanusi
Lamido.
Continuing he said, “the same person who raised
the issue, within two days said the money was
$12 billion, and two days later, he said it was
$20 billion.
“Regarding the $9 billion, the truth will come
out.”