FG To Exchange Boko Haram Prisoners For Chibok Girls [Read More]

The Federal Government and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has held meetings with Boko Haram group over exchanging the prisoners of the group for more than 200 Chibok school girls kidnapped in April 14, 2014.

According to a CNN report, a source involved in the plan made this revelation to them adding that the officials met four times in mid-August with two senior members of Boko Haram in Abuja.

The source who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue said the Boko Haram group submitted a list with the names of 30 members in the custody of the government who were either convicted or awaiting trial on terror offenses.

The terror group kidnapped over 200 girls in April from a boarding school in Chibok area of Bornu State. Although some escaped, above 200 are still in their custody. A video released by the terrorists showed the girls in an unknown rural area.

‘’The two Boko Haram negotiators assured the ICRC and government negotiators that the girls were never raped, were never used as sex slaves and were never sexually assaulted,” said the source, who was present at the meetings. 

He further added that the Boko Haram were willing for a swap with the ICRC at an undisclosed area but there was disagreement on some terms, including the number of girls involved in the swap. Boko Haram had maintained that the swap would be on a on a 50-50 ground which means 30 girls for the 30 commanders but the government refused.

In addition, the source also revealed that there was also a problem when the Boko Haram’s insisted on meeting the imprisoned 30 members involved in the swap, but they only had contact with six at a prison outside Abuja.

The six prisoners included Kabiru Sokoto, a senior Boko Haram commander convicted in December 2013 of terror charges related to the deadly Christmas Day bombing of a church in the town of Madallah in 2011.

“ICRC couldn’t find where the remaining 24 were being detained,” the source said and they refused to comment.

The Boko Haram promised the government officials a feedback after meeting with their superiors to make conclusions.

The name “Boko Haram” translates to “Western education is sin” in the local Hausa language and this group is bent on forcing strict Sharia law in Nigeria.