Two years ago, the pupils were abducted from Government Girls Secondary School Chibok in Borno State in the middle of the night. An international campaign has since been mounted to secure their release but Boko Haram has refused to budge, insisting that its commanders be released in exchange for the girls.
Over the last three months, however, talks have commenced between representatives of the terrorist sect and the government, where it is believed Boko Haram said it would free the girls for cash. So far, however, no deal has been struck and the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group which has been campaigning for the rescue of the girls has expressed frustration about government’s continued rhetoric and lack of intelligence and other excuses on their fate.
One source close to the talks said: “The ransom demand has split the government. Some think it would be worth it just to resolve the Chibok situation but others say it will simply allow Boko Haram to hire yet more insurgent recruits.”
He added that a month after the ransom demand, Boko Haram secretly passed the government a new video tape showing 15 of the kidnapped girls. As part of its propaganda war, Boko Haram showed some of the girls having converted to Islam in the video.
"The girls are asked what their Christian names are and what their new Muslim names. They are also asked if they have been raped or mistreated, but they say no and they look relaxed,” the source added.
Government security sources say, however, that there is no ongoing deal with Boko Haram at any level and the claim by the sect or any other person that negotiations is taking place is incorrect. One security source added that the government's policy of crushing Boko Haram militarily was working.
“President Muhammadu Buhari will not engage in any backdoor deal with the insurgents. The report was talking of the last three months in which Boko Haram had been severely decimated by the military,” he added.
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