Muhammdu Buhari has reportedly commenced negotiation with Boko Haram insurgents for the release of the over 200 girls who were abducted in April 2014 from the Chibok area in troubled Borno State.
Buhari on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 revealed to CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that he was willing to negotiate with the insurgents and find out what they want in exchange for the abducted girls.
The said negotiation is a sheer deviation from Buhari’s campaign promise that he would crush the insurgents as soon as he assumed office as the president.
However, since his inauguration as the president on Friday, May 29, 2015 the insurgents appear to have increased the tempo of their deadly attacks as barely a day passes without one attack or another.
Reports by The Nation say that Buhari has started preliminary negotiation talks with the leaders of the Islamist sect who he had referred as his brothers despite the deadly attacks they had unleashed in the nation since inception.
Some key commanders of the insurgents in detention are reportedly eager to be part of the negotiation.
It was gathered that the president reportedly asked security agents to “screen or certify” those spearheading the new negotiation to ensure that the government is dealing with the right Boko Haram leaders.
Reports from sources indicate that both parties have struck a “cautious understanding” for a possible release of some of the abducted girls to underscore the insurgents’ readiness for the negotiation.
“The President’s appeal for peace in the Northeast is yielding dividends because a fresh facilitation of talks between the Presidency and Boko Haram has started,” a source from the presidency reportedly said.
Meanwhile, it would be recalled that the insurgents had previously demanded that their prisoners be released in exchange for the girls.
