After much persuasion, Boko
Haram has agreed to release the abducted 219 Chibok girls if the Federal
Government will simultaneously set free its 18 key commanders.
The two parties have asked
their representatives to go back to their leaders on the new swap deal
proposal.
Prior to the latest agreement
at the talks in Abuja, which was witnessed by some officials of the
International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC), Boko Haram had insisted on a
piecemeal release of the girls, with priority given to 30 married Christians
among them.
The Federal Government also
offered to release six of the 18 sect leaders in detention.
The two sides maintained a
parallel stand until they met again in Abuja at a session facilitated by the
President, Civil Rights Congress (CRC), Comrade Shehu Sani.
The sect said if the
government attempted to secure the girls by force, it might lead to fatalities.
At the meeting, Boko Haram
also maintained that it had the capacity to “engage the Federal
Government for 45 years”.
It said the outcome of the
talks would determine the end of the insurgency.
Some of those at the talks
gave insights into the new dimension to the moves to free the Chibok girls, who
were abducted from their hostel on April 15.
It was gathered that the
session was attended by ICRC officials.
One of those who
attended said: “The sect shifted its position and agreed to release
all the girls instead of 30 Christian married girls it had promised. But Boko
Haram said it does not trust the government going by previous experience.
“If the government had respected previous talks, the
Chibok girls were initially meant to be off the hook during the Eid-el Fitr
festival. Again about two weeks ago, a delegation was already in Maiduguri
until the swap deal was bungled.
“Some security agents only advised on the release of
six out of the 18 leaders of the sect. They rated the rest 12 as dangerous.
“When the insurgents found out, they backtracked and
demanded the release of the 18 leaders. The development paved the way for the
latest talks in Abuja which involved the ICRC.”
“By the new arrangement, ICRC will pick up the girls
and simultaneously hand over the detained 18 leaders to Boko Haram.
“The government also said it would not free the detained
leaders of Boko Haram until all the girls were released.
Asked what was eventually
agreed upon, another source at the session said: “We
generally agreed that all the parties should go back to their leaders on the
agreement reached. The government said no to piecemeal release of the girls and
Boko Haram claimed that it will not have any business with the government until
all the 18 leaders of the sect are freed.
“After the Eid-el-Kabir festival, the two parties will
meet again on the terms to finalise the agreement or part ways.
“Before the meeting rose, Boko Haram representatives
warned against the use of force to liberate the girls. It also made it clear
that it had the “capacity to take on the Federal Government for the
next 45 years.”
Responding to a question on
whether the sect will end the insurgency or not, another source said: “The
delegation from Boko Haram said the outcome of the latest round of talks will
determine whether they should ceasefire or not.”
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