Concerned about the fate of the kidnapped Chibok girls, President Muhammadu Buhari approved a prisoner swap with the Boko Haram, barely two months after he was sworn in, an official has said.
The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said on Friday during a press conference that the prisoner swap was agreed to in July 2015, two months after Mr. Buhari was sworn-in on May 29, 2015.
“Precisely on 17th July, 2015, the DSS opened negotiations process with the group holding the Chibok girls,” the minister said.
“However, in return for the release of some of these girls, the group also made some demands. These included the release of some of their fighters arrested including some involved in major terrorist actions, resulting in several fatalities, and others who were experts in manufacture of locally assembled explosives.”
Mr. Mohammed added that, “This was difficult to accept, but appropriate security agencies had to again inform Mr. President of these demands, and its viewed implications.
“Again Mr. President gave his assent believing that the overall release of these girls remains paramount and sacrosanct.”
In his speech distributed to the media, Mr. Mohammed said the swap did not work because the terror group reneged on the agreement and made more demands.
Mr. Mohammed’s statement on Friday is the first detailed explanation by any government official on concrete steps being taken to free the over 200 girls kidnapped from the secondary school in Chibok in April 2014.
The Buhari administration has faced heavy criticisms for its handling of the kidnap as well as its handling of protests asking it to do more to free the girls.
On Friday, Mr. Mohammed reiterated the administration’s commitment to ensure the kidnapped girls are freed.
“The Government and its security agencies remain committed to ensuring that the Chibok girls are safely released in fulfillment of the Presidential mandate,” he said.
The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said on Friday during a press conference that the prisoner swap was agreed to in July 2015, two months after Mr. Buhari was sworn-in on May 29, 2015.
“Precisely on 17th July, 2015, the DSS opened negotiations process with the group holding the Chibok girls,” the minister said.
“However, in return for the release of some of these girls, the group also made some demands. These included the release of some of their fighters arrested including some involved in major terrorist actions, resulting in several fatalities, and others who were experts in manufacture of locally assembled explosives.”
Mr. Mohammed added that, “This was difficult to accept, but appropriate security agencies had to again inform Mr. President of these demands, and its viewed implications.
“Again Mr. President gave his assent believing that the overall release of these girls remains paramount and sacrosanct.”
In his speech distributed to the media, Mr. Mohammed said the swap did not work because the terror group reneged on the agreement and made more demands.
Mr. Mohammed’s statement on Friday is the first detailed explanation by any government official on concrete steps being taken to free the over 200 girls kidnapped from the secondary school in Chibok in April 2014.
The Buhari administration has faced heavy criticisms for its handling of the kidnap as well as its handling of protests asking it to do more to free the girls.
On Friday, Mr. Mohammed reiterated the administration’s commitment to ensure the kidnapped girls are freed.
“The Government and its security agencies remain committed to ensuring that the Chibok girls are safely released in fulfillment of the Presidential mandate,” he said.
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