A delegation of northern elders led by Alhaji
Yusuf Maitama Sule met with President Jonathan behind closed doors in Abuja
last night over the deadly insurgency in the North. The meeting with the
Northern Elders Forum officials began around 9pm at the State House, with Vice
President Namadi Sambo in attendance.

Among those on the forum’s team was Second
Republic minister Dr. Paul Unongo. The meeting was still going on by 10.40pm
last night.

Daily Trust learnt that issues being discussed
include the proposal by the forum for dialogue with members of the Jama’atu
Ahlis Sunnah Lid Da’awati wal Jihad, also known as Boko Haram.

The Northern Elders Forum has been advocating
for amnesty for Boko Haram, but President Jonathan has consistently dismissed
the idea on the ground that the sect is faceless.

Two weeks ago, the forum members visited the
Emir of Kano in the wake of the bus park bombing, saying that Jonathan ignored
a report they gave him eight months ago with suggestions of ending the
insurgency.

A leader of the forum, Prof Ango Abdullahi,
told journalists after the visit to the emir that among the recommendations in
their report to Jonathan was dialogue with Boko Haram.