The Federal Government has denied paying $21 million ransom
for the release of the 21 Chibok schoolgirls.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and
Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a statement last night, described as false,
media reports ascribing the recent terrorist attacks in Borno State to the
government’s negotiation of the release of 21 Chibok girls.
Shehu said a particular report claiming the exchange of $21
million for the schoolgirls was a loose talk that should be disregarded by
members of the public.
He said as a responsible government run on the basis of the
constitution and the budgets duly appropriated by the National Assembly,
Buhari’s administration had no such money "under any allocation to pay out this
outrageous sum as ransom."
He said beyond the call of journalism, the newspaper making
the allegation had a national duty to mention how and where the money was paid
as well as to supply leads "as to where the powerful weapons were bought by the
terrorists."
Shehu stated: "From the inception of President Muhammadu
Buhari’s administration, the media, local and international groups, have
persistently pressured the government to do everything possible to facilitate
the release of the Chibok girls. During the election campaigns, President
Buhari himself expressed commitment to this and also to bringing an end to
terrorism in our country. We then wonder why anyone is turning the defeat of
terror and return of the missing persons against the government.
"As at the time he came into power, Boko Haram occupied 80 percent
of Borno State, 40 percent of Yobe and a significant segment of Adamawa. Today,
the group does not control any territory. The government also has successfully
enabled the release of 23 Chibok girls, while negotiations for the release of
more, possibly all the rest, are in progress.
"The successes recorded by the government in the fight
against terrorism have been a result of collaboration between our country’s
various security agencies, particularly the Department of State Services, the
Police, the Civil Defense, Air Force, the Navy and the Army. Representatives
from these arms of our security agencies were also involved in the process of
the release of the 21 Chibok girls. It is, therefore, unfair and reckless of
any medium to quote unnamed, allegedly disgruntled sources within the military,
who now claim that the girls’ release has re-invigorated Boko Haram.
"Boko Haram operated freely before the Buhari administration
came into power, before they had the Chibok girls and after the girls were
abducted from their school. Therefore, whatever the group relies on for
strength cannot suddenly be ascribed to the conditions of the negotiations
brokered by the local interlocutor, the Swiss government and help from the
International Red Cross."
The presidential aide appealed to the media to continue
their “unflinching support” to the military and other security agencies as they
fight to free the country from terrorism.
He noted that terrorism and insurgency remained the biggest
threat to Nigeria’s security, economy and national development.
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