Osibanjo: Negotiations are ongoing With Boko Haram On Chibok Girls
The Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has assured Nigerians that negotiations are ongoing for the release of more Chibok school girls still in the custody of Boko Haramb terrorists, expressing optimism that the dialogue would produce the desired result.
The Vice President disclosed this on Tuesday evening, at an interactive session with journalists and activists at the state house in Abuja.
In his own words, he said “There is a lot of negotiation going on,” adding that government had “gone quite far” with negotiations to free more girls, but did not provide details of the
negotiations for apparent security reasons.
UNICEF report
This came as the United Nations Childrens’ Fund, UNICEF, reported that Boko Haram insurgents have used a total of 117 children, mainly girls, to carry out suicide bomb attacks in public places across Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon since 2014.
It called for stoppage of recruitment and use of children in armed conflict as ‘suicide bombers.’
Osinbajo noted that one of the challenges encountered in freeing the girls was the existence of two factions in Boko Haram , with each faction holding on to some of the girls.
One of the factions is led by Abubakar Shekau, the erstwhile leader of the group, while a breakaway faction is led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, believed to be a son of the late founder of the group, Mohammed Yusuf.
However, Osinbajo, said the Buhari administration was very committed to the release of the remaining Chibok girls and other captives held by the terrorists.
“It is a matter of conscience that concerns everyone,” he added.
The Vice President disclosed this on Tuesday evening, at an interactive session with journalists and activists at the state house in Abuja.
In his own words, he said “There is a lot of negotiation going on,” adding that government had “gone quite far” with negotiations to free more girls, but did not provide details of the
negotiations for apparent security reasons.
UNICEF report
This came as the United Nations Childrens’ Fund, UNICEF, reported that Boko Haram insurgents have used a total of 117 children, mainly girls, to carry out suicide bomb attacks in public places across Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon since 2014.
It called for stoppage of recruitment and use of children in armed conflict as ‘suicide bombers.’
Osinbajo noted that one of the challenges encountered in freeing the girls was the existence of two factions in Boko Haram , with each faction holding on to some of the girls.
One of the factions is led by Abubakar Shekau, the erstwhile leader of the group, while a breakaway faction is led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, believed to be a son of the late founder of the group, Mohammed Yusuf.
However, Osinbajo, said the Buhari administration was very committed to the release of the remaining Chibok girls and other captives held by the terrorists.
“It is a matter of conscience that concerns everyone,” he added.
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