TheCable

Obiageli Ezekwesili, former education minister, believes the government is lying about the ceasefire deal with Boko Haram and the failed negotiations to secure the release of the 219 Chibok schoolgirls in captivity.

On October 17, the government had announced a ceasefire with the group, adding that negotiations were going on to secure the release of the abducted girls.

Godswill Akpabio, the governor of Akwa Ibom state, told reporters after the council of state meeting at the presidential villa on Tuesday that there was never a ceasefire agreement between the government and Boko Haram.

Akpabio, who was quoting the national security adviser, Dasuki Sambo, added that the press misunderstood the statement of the government regarding the ceasefire.

But reacting to Akpabio, Ezekwesili wrote on her Twitter page on Wednesday: “What a sorry sight Akpabio made yesterday, lying even more about the ‘ceasefire and release’ of our girls.”

“If what Akpabio said yesterday after the council of state meeting is the official update on ‘ceasefire’, ha! Citizens with any moral outrage left in them should be aghast at what seems like a major lie by our government to us.

“I was one of those that gave absolute benefit of the doubt to the federal government on announcement of ‘ceasefire deal’. I hoped on. I hoped on, following the government’s announcement of ceasefire deal not because of gullibility but for the sake of our girls. We deserve the whole truth on what that whole ceasefire deal and the fiasco that has attended it was all about.”