A report released by the BBC has claimed that the
Federal Government paid the sum of two million
euros to Boko Haram to secure the release of the
82 school girls abducted by the Islamic terrorist
group in 2014 in Chibok, Borno State.
The report also disclosed that the five Boko Haram
Commanders who were swapped for the girls
alongside the alleged sum were specialist in bomb
making.
The Federal government has, however, not denied
claims that there was negotiation with the sect
members for the release of the girls.
The report reads in part, “The release of the 82
girls came with a price. Five senior Boko Haram
militants were moved from a high security unit to
be driven to freedom. The details of the deal are
sketchy.
“Our sources don’t want to be named and their
version of events is hard to confirm, but they say
the men were high-level Boko Haram bomb-
makers, and that they were accompanied by two
million euros in cash.”
Quoting one of its sources, the report said,
“Paying a ransom as well as swapping prisoners
was a sticking point that almost unravelled the
whole deal, one source tells us. It should have
happened sooner, but the president was hesitating
about freeing the five – and especially about the
money.”
The report further quoted the source as saying
Persuading the President was “very, very difficult.
It was the most difficult part of the whole
negotiation. He didn’t want to pay any money.
“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.”
Federal Government paid the sum of two million
euros to Boko Haram to secure the release of the
82 school girls abducted by the Islamic terrorist
group in 2014 in Chibok, Borno State.
The report also disclosed that the five Boko Haram
Commanders who were swapped for the girls
alongside the alleged sum were specialist in bomb
making.
The Federal government has, however, not denied
claims that there was negotiation with the sect
members for the release of the girls.
The report reads in part, “The release of the 82
girls came with a price. Five senior Boko Haram
militants were moved from a high security unit to
be driven to freedom. The details of the deal are
sketchy.
“Our sources don’t want to be named and their
version of events is hard to confirm, but they say
the men were high-level Boko Haram bomb-
makers, and that they were accompanied by two
million euros in cash.”
Quoting one of its sources, the report said,
“Paying a ransom as well as swapping prisoners
was a sticking point that almost unravelled the
whole deal, one source tells us. It should have
happened sooner, but the president was hesitating
about freeing the five – and especially about the
money.”
The report further quoted the source as saying
Persuading the President was “very, very difficult.
It was the most difficult part of the whole
negotiation. He didn’t want to pay any money.
“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.”
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