by Rachel Ogbu

To prove its focus on peace in the country, the Presidency on Wednesday said it would definitely go ahead to release Boko Haram suspects but it would be done in phases.

Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, said in a statement that the first set of beneficiaries would comprise mainly women and children and consideration for other detainees would be made in the future.

According to reports, Okupe also said that the considerations were based on merit.

[READ: Terrorism: Army set to release Boko Haram suspects from detention ]

The statement read:

“It has become necessary to make further clarification 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 Punch reports:

Okupe said 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.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday directed the release of some Boko Haram suspects in custody.

Okupe added, “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.”

Okupe said the phased release of detainees would encourage insurgents seeking peace to take advantage of the process provided by the Federal Government Committee.

Meanwhile, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State on Wednesday commended the President for ordering the release of the Boko Haram suspects.

Shettima stated this in a statement by his Special Adviser on Communication, Mallam Isa Gusau, in Maiduguri.