Boko Haram has offered to release 30 of the Government Girls Secondary School Chibok pupils in exchange for 18 of its key leaders currently in detention as the ongoing battle between government forces and the insurgents rages across the northeast.
Over the last week, there has been fierce fighting between Boko Haram and the Nigerian military as government troops seek to recapture several towns captured by the terrorists over the last two weeks. As the fighting rages, it appears that talks are holding simultaneously with the terrorist sect offering some sort of deal, so it can secure the services of some of its military commanders currently in detention.
Shehu Sani, the president of the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, who has been a go-between in the negotiations, said that Boko Haram has already sent the list of its commanders and the 30 girls to be swapped to a minister. He added that this took place after secret talks between a government delegation and a Boko Haram commander, who is being detained in Kuje Prison in Abuja.
According the sources, the government delegation, whose membership was kept under wrap, discussed with the commander, who is simply described as Umar. It appears that the government is unhappy with the proposal, however, as it is demanding that the terrorist frees all of the Chibok girls.
One of the sources said: “Some top officials met with Umar about two weeks ago in Kuje Prison to discuss issues connected to the fate of the Chibok girls. We heard some inmates sharing this information that the sect might swap the girls with Umar and others but all the details are still secret because Umar keeps to himself a lot.”
Another source added: “The delegation had a fruitful negotiation with Umar, who is one of the highly-rated commanders of Boko Haram. The group assured Umar of a swap and he has been looking forward to it.
It is believed that the government has offered to release the 18 key Boko Haram leaders only on the condition that all the Chibok girls will be freed. In addition some security agents are said to have advised the government that there was no full assurance that all the girls will be released.
Boko Haram abducted the Chibok girls from their boarding school in Borno State on April 14 and have held them in captivity since. Parents of the girls have since given up on them being released, telling the government to crush the terrorist group by force even if it means sacrificing their daughters.
