High-Wire Negotiations n Freedom Details Of 82 Abducted Chibok Girls

The details of the high-wire negotiations and conciliation that dovetailed into freedom, weekend, for 82 of the abducted Chibok School girls emerged, yesterday.

Apart from releasing some Boko Haram suspects, as confirmed by President Muhammadu Buhari and Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debts, Senator Shehu Sani, Vanguard gathered that some money was also spent to ease the process. The release brings to 103 the number of Chibok girls so far freed, apart from those who escaped on their own since abduction on April 14, 2014. 

The development, which elicited celebrations in Chibok community of Borno State, is generating commendation for President Buhari, whose Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, received the girls in Abuja, yesterday.

Among those who expressed joy and saluted the President for the feat were Senate President Bukola Saraki; House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State; All Progressives Congress, APC; Bring Back Our Girls group, BBOG; Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF; Geneva- based Industrial Global Union; and President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Mrs Laura Boldrini among others.

How we got them released – Buhari President Buhari said government swapped the 82 Chibok girls for Boko Haram “suspects’’ in a statement by his spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu. Although he did not provide the number or names of the Boko Haram suspects swapped for the girls, Mallam Shehu said the President was kept abreast of every negotiation and operation that led to the girls’ release.

“President Muhammadu Buhari expresses his deep gratitude to all who played a part in ensuring the success of this operation, as follows: Security agencies, the military, the Government of Switzerland, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and local and international NGOs,” he said. 

The statement said President Buhari was committed to ensuring the safe return of the Chibok girls, and all other Boko Haram captives. President Buhari was received the girls at the Presidential Villa. Before then, the girls had been received at the airport by Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari.