The president’s visit to Borno State, I guess, was intended to dramatize to Nigerians at home and abroad that despite opposition to the regime, the president could still be received in Borno with respect and even enthusiasm.

The government has shown enough patience and forbearance towards Boko Haram. The presidency felt that Maidugri would be the best place to open secret channels of communication between the Boko Haram sect and the Federal government. The bold initiative to visit the embattled state is commendable but the tone adopted by the Commander- in-Chief did little to establish trust.

Instead of queering how one could hold discussion with faceless people, many people expected the president to declare amnesty to the sect to enable all concerned to rethink and drop their arms. He would have said something like “I have come to inquire not to insist, to listen and learn and to begin what would be a continuing interchange of ideas and insight on how to end the carnage that is being unleashed on innocent Nigerians here in the North”.

In addition there would have been a formal dinner conversation with many prominent northern leaders and the president during the trip. Direct conversations with the political class of the North would be the best way to make progress.

I think this is a wrong time for us to be engaging in finger pointing – who is among, who is supporting who. In this crucial time, we need to be united in one spirit to end further blood shed. A time has come for all Nigerians to rally behind the president.

People had wrongly assumed that the attack on Mali, the presumed headquarters of Boko Haram, would bring the sect to their knees but who knows how many they are and where they are located?

There are past leaders who know best how to rally the nation to his support, and how to inspire their faith and win their trust. Such persons should be sort out to help in this regard. We have not moved in a precipitate fashion.

The Chairman and ranking members of the Senate Armed Services Committee should wade in to proffer solutions and seek out ways to hold dialogue through several channels. The presidency must keep a constant check on the way – its orders are being carried out and also whether the orders are being followed at all.

Now that the pressure to negotiate with the sect is building, the Commander -in- Chief should try and approve the program itself. A few gestures of recognition might make the opponents less antagonistic towards us.

The only way to end the attacks I believe is by conducting negotiations on political issues. The door to peace is wide open and we request the opponents of peace overtures to walk with the presidency through the door. The leadership of our nation is sincere for a settlement. There is nothing to be gained by waiting. Let history record it at his critical juncture; let both sides turn their faces towards peace rather than towards conflict and war.

The climate of expectations call for reassurance. Something should be done to halt the continuity of all the Boko Haram attacks. We need not wait for explosions to rock the cities to begin realistic programs that would restore peace and tranquility throughout our nation. We need not wait for infiltration and invasion by faceless attackers before we act.

Crisis at times is unavoidable but proves a test of leadership we need to practice preventive diplomacy that could avert attacks rather than responding to the attacks alone.

C.C. Okereke Political Analyst & Commentator