Some of the recently released Chibok schoolgirls
The Nigerian Presidency confirmed on 6 May that 82 more of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls were freed by Boko Haram after extensive negotiations between the government and the terrorist group. The girls are part of a group of 276 schoolgirls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram in April 2014. Earlier in October 2016, a group of 21 girls were released after negotiations with Boko Haram, and 50 had previously escaped in April 2014. Security sources later told Nigeria Politics & Security that — but for the media leaks about the release of the 21 girls — the government would have secured the release of 80 girls many months earlier (see Nigeria Politics & Security – 24.10.16). Apparently, negotiations for the girls’ release have been ongoing since then with the help of the Swiss Government and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Whilst this is good news for the Chibok families, more than 100 girls remain unaccounted for.
Unlike the release of the first batch of Chibok girls — which the government claimed did not involve any prisoner exchange — this time around the Presidency issued a statement on 6 May admitting that they had to let go an undisclosed number of Boko Haram prisoners in order for the girls to be released. Sources have told the media that the government released two Boko Haram prisoners and also paid an undisclosed amount of cash to secure the girls’ release.
There was an escalation of Boko Haram attacks on military positions after the first set of Chibok girls were released in October 2016, after a reported figure of US$100 million was paid as ransom, although the government never confirmed this figure. But there are already indications that the country is set to face another round of Boko Haram attacks. The latter attacked a Chadian military camp near the border with Niger, on 6 May, killing nine Chadian soldiers and wounding 28. The Chadian army claim to have killed 28 members of Boko Haram. … [article continues] …
This is an excerpt from an article in our weekly Nigeria Politics and Security publication.
