President Muhammadu Buhari, has said that the 191 remaining Chibok Girls were yet to be released, because of the on-going negotiation with the insurgent group.
Buhari spoke through the Information Minister, Lai Mohammad, during a briefing, following an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operation to the Sambisa forest.
Recall, that the trip to Sambisa forest was recently organised by the Federal Government, for the leaders of the Bring Back Our Girls, BBOG, group to acquaint them with efforts by the military to find the Chibok girls, and end the war on insurgency.
Speaking after the trip, Lai Mohammed said: “Negotiations for the release of the girls have never stopped. In a situation like this, we use carrot and stick approach.
“Even the success of the military, also helped fast track the process of the negotiation for those who were released.
“The negotiation is complicated, delicate, and changes from time to time, but we are still talking, and we are near breakthrough.
“This government has nothing to hide, that is why we have brought you here so you can have a first-hand experience. We want to let the world know what we have been doing not only to recover the girls, but also to end the insurgency,” Mohammed said.
However, the leader of the BBOG and former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, said though the group had learnt some lessons about the workings of the military, its demand remained.
“It becomes a strategic question. We will hold the Federal Government accountable to a decision on what options work better for our girls and others.
“The information has empowered and enriched our demand. The Minister of Information has given the assurance that 80 girls would be part of a batch based on negotiation, we will keep asking for that,” she said.
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