(By Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye – ABUJA)
President Buhari has disclosed that his administration is prepared to discuss the release of the Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram terror group since April 2014.
The Islamist terror group had in the latest video released on August 15th demanded that the federal government release some of its captured members in exchange for the girls.
But speaking to newsmen in Nairobi, Kenya at the weekend, Buhari said that the Nigerian government was ready to dialogue with bona fide leaders of the terror group who know the whereabouts of the girls.
“I have made a couple of comments on the Chibok Girls, and it seems to me that much of it has been politicized.
“What we said is that the government which I preside over is prepared to talk to bona fide leaders of Boko Haram.
“If they do not want to talk to us directly, let them pick an internationally recognized Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), convince them that they are holding the girls and that they want Nigeria to release a number of Boko Haram leaders in detention, which they are supposed to know.
“If they do it through the ‘modified leadership’ of Boko Haram and they talk with an internationally recognized NGO, then Nigeria will be prepared to discuss for their release,” Buhari said.
The President warned that the Federal Government will not waste time and resources with “doubtful sources” claiming to know the whereabouts of the girls.
“We want those girls out and safe. The faster we can recover them and hand them over to their parents, the better for us.”
The President maintained that the terror group, which pledged allegiance to ISIS, has been largely decimated by the Nigerian military with the support of immediate neighbours from Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin.
“I have made a couple of comments on the Chibok Girls, and it seems to me that much of it has been politicized.
“What we said is that the government which I preside over is prepared to talk to bona fide leaders of Boko Haram.
“If they do not want to talk to us directly, let them pick an internationally recognized Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), convince them that they are holding the girls and that they want Nigeria to release a number of Boko Haram leaders in detention, which they are supposed to know.
“If they do it through the ‘modified leadership’ of Boko Haram and they talk with an internationally recognized NGO, then Nigeria will be prepared to discuss for their release,” Buhari said.
The President warned that the Federal Government will not waste time and resources with “doubtful sources” claiming to know the whereabouts of the girls.
“We want those girls out and safe. The faster we can recover them and hand them over to their parents, the better for us.”
The President maintained that the terror group, which pledged allegiance to ISIS, has been largely decimated by the Nigerian military with the support of immediate neighbours from Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin.