PRESIDENCY: Jonathan did not order release of detained Boko Haram members

The presidency has denied the media speculations that president Jonathan has ordered the release of all detained Boko Haram members and their wives.
The Senior Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said Jonathan only ordered the release of children and women arrested during the crack down on the Boko Haram members.

According to Okupe, the order was based on the recommendation of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Reconciliation, headed by the Minister for Special Duties, Taminu Turaki.
Okupe in a statement entitled: “Clarification on presidential directive on the release of Boko Haram detainees,” said, “It has become necessary to make further clarifications on the directive for the release of some people held in connection with activities of the Boko Haram sect, in view of misrepresentations in some sections of the Media.
“The order for the release of the detainees will be in phases.
“Concerning the first batch, the emphasis is on women and children who have been in detention on suspicion of involvement and/or connection with insurgency in some parts of the country.
“This will be followed by other phased releases where cases will be treated on their individual merits by the Defence authorities and security agencies.
“The presidential directive was as a result of the interim report by the Presidential Committee on dialogue and peace in Northern Nigeria which recommended the measure as part of government’s multi-faceted strategy to solving the security challenges posed by the activities of the sect.
“This directive by Mr President further proves that the Federal Government has not foreclosed dialogue as a viable option in its bid to put an end to insurgency and terrorist activities in the Northern part of the country.
“It is expected that this phased release of detainees will encourage those who wish to embrace the peace option to come out and take advantage of the dialogue and peace option provided by the Committee put in place by government.”