Part of the
negotiation that led to the recent release of the 82 Chibok schoolgirls from Boko
Haram custody was two million euros to the insurgent group.
Although Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, had said
that there is no need to worry
over the insurgents swapped with the girls, sources also told BBC that the
girls were swapped with “high-level Boko Haram bomb-makers.”
Details of the deal which led to their release has remained
sketchy except for the known Boko Haram members swapped with the girls.
Sources who
spoke to the BBC on the condition of anonymity says the Boko Haram
members “were accompanied by two million euros in cash.” The medium also quotes
one of the sources to have said that the men are high ranking members of the
sect.
“Paying a ransom as well as swapping prisoners was a
sticking point that almost unravelled the whole deal,” says the source “with
detailed knowledge of the deal.” It should have happened sooner, but the
president was hesitating about freeing the five – and especially about the
money.”
Although unconfirmed, the source also claimed President
Muhammadu Buhari didn’t want to pay the ransom.
“Persuading him was very, very difficult. It was the most
difficult part of the whole negotiation,” the source added.
“The ransom was two million euros. Boko Haram asked for
euros. They chose the suspects and they gave us the list of girls who would be
freed.”
Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on
media and publicity had, during the release of the 82 girls, happily announced
that negotiations to release the girls have yielded results.
But Shehu didn’t hint on whether the sect was paid any
ransom for the girls’ release.
“After lengthy negotiations, our security agencies have
taken back these girls, in exchange for some Boko Haram suspects held by the
authorities,” Shehu had said.
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