Chibok Girls: Buhari Considers Amnesty For Boko Haram

 

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday,

September 16, applied to Boko Haram

insurgents holding the Chibok girls in

captivity.

The Nigerian leader made an

indirect address when he spoke with AFP on

the last day of his visit to France. As the

government considers the ways of rescuing

the children, Buhari broke they could offer

amnesty if the sect handed over all the

Chibok abductees. But girls’ release should

come first, he insisted.

“The few (prisoners) we are holding, we are

trying to see whether we can negotiate with

them for the release of the Chibok girls.

“If the Boko Haram leadership eventually agrees

to turn over the Chibok girls to us – the

complete number – then we may decide to give

them (the prisoners) amnesty.”

Parents of the missing girls

President Buhari also stressed it was

important to verify the genuineness of Boko

Haram leaders identity:

“We are trying to establish if they are bona fide,

how useful they are in Boko Haram, have they

reached a position of leadership where their

absence is of relevance to the operation of

Boko Haram?”

The Nigerian number one

politicians expressed confidence

that “conventional” attacks by the terrorist

group would be rooted out by November.

“The main conventional attacks, where Boko

Haram use armoured cars they took from the

Nigerian troops, or mounted machine-guns on

pick-up vehicles and so on, we believe by the

end of the three months, we will see the end of

that.

“What may not absolutely stop is the occasional

bombings by the use of improvised explosive

devices. We do not expect a 100 per cent

stoppage of the insurgency.”

It should be recalled that on Tuesday

President Buhari disclosed in France that the

negotiations were ongoing with Boko Haram

leaders regarding the release of the Chibok

girls.

He continued that the sect wanted the

Nigerian government to release one of its

strategic leaders, which term Buhari, however,

rejected.

Parents of the children

Credit - Naij.com