Group may demand
ransom, swap of 16 detained top commanders
*Office of National Security
Adviser: Terrorism has overstretched security agencies
*No disquiet in the
military over sect leaders in detention – DHQ
*UN Secretary General hails 21
girls’ release
As negotiations for the expected next phase of the release of 83
Chibok girls begins this week, there were indications, last night, that the
leadership of the Boko Haram sect might table two major conditions to be met by
the Federal Government to seal the deal.
A source close to
the negotiations confided in Sunday Vanguard that unlike the 21 girls, who were
freed by the sect, last Thursday, to test government’s level of commitment and
sincerity, the release of the remaining girls may be based strictly on ransom payment
and freedom for no fewer than 16 of Boko Haram commanders by the government.
The government, it was learnt, was eager to get the remaining 83 girls,
reportedly held by a top leader of the sect in an undisclosed location in the
North East. Of the 219 girls still missing, a source said that only 104 were
left in the captivity of the sect while the rest had long been married off by
top commanders and converted to Islam.
“The truth is that
those Chibok girls are now Boko Haram members, having married the sect members
and become radicalised,” the source said. “The remaining 83 girls are with a
top leader of Boko Haram and those are the only ones we are going to work for
their release in the next phase of our negotiations which starts immediately. “
The others had since become Boko Haram members, having been married off and
radicalised into Boko Haram as soon as they were captured over two years ago”.
But Sunday Vanguard learnt that the representatives of the sect, who are
meeting with a Federal Government team, might insist on payment upfront of huge
cash by government before freeing the captives. “I think the guys are settled
on the idea that the cash must come ahead of the release since they had proved
to government that they are reliable by releasing the 21 girls, last week,
without many conditions attached”, the source stated. Asked if the sect leaders
were unsure of government’s sincerity to keep its own side of the bargain, the
source said that the representatives of Boko Haram had also shown that they
have confidence in government. It was learnt that the lingering challenge in
getting back all the girls arose from the fact that while some of them are with
a faction loyal to Benawhi, the rest are being kept by the group loyal to
Abubakar Shekau. But one of the negotiators believed the remaining 83 girls
would be freed if a meaningful deal is struck between the sect and the Federal
Government. Threats Meanwhile, the Office of the National Security Adviser
(ONSA) has said that threats posed by terrorism and violent extremism in parts
of Nigeria have not only stretched law enforcement agencies but have also
exposed the gap in the nation’s capacity to deal with asymmetric warfare.”
Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Center (CTC) in ONSA, Commodore
Yem Musa, who stated this in at a one-day ‘Strategic Communication Analytical
Technique Exercise’ in Abuja, said that violent extremist groups were more
adapted to using strategic communication than government.
“Through this
exercise, we will explore how strategic communication must be a first order
capability in the armed forces, law enforcement and intelligence agencies as
well as strategic MDAs of government”, Musa said.
Musa explained that the
nature of asymmetric warfare and the liberalization of information access
through the social media has made it imperative for any state actor serious
about its national security to develop efficient and effective use of Strategic
Communication. He noted that the threat from terrorists, insurgent groups and
other non-state actors in the country, has called for enhanced capacity and
holistic measures to deal with the emerging security challenges. The CTC boss
however, expressed regret that whereas the non-state actors in the country have
perfected effective use of the social media, Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) to deadly effect, the government is still playing a catch-up
role. He said: “The increasing discourse on strategic communication among
stakeholders in Nigeria can be linked to the growing body of research on, and
practice of counter-terrorism laws, policies and strategy. This, too, is as a
result of a new kind of threat hitherto unknown to us. Musa informed
stakeholders at the exercise that “strategic communication is a crucial and
relevant tool for counter terrorism and counter insurgency and permeates all
governance structures and enhance national security and well-being”. At the end
of the exercise, participants agreed on the need to develop a common lexicon on
strategic communication across MDAs in Nigeria. Remaining captives must be free
– UN Secretary General In a related development, United Nations Secretary
General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, yesterday, commended the efforts of the Federal
Government that paid off with the release of the 21 Chibok girls on Thursday.
A
statement from the UN Secretariat in New York stated that the Secretary-General
also called on the international community to assist Nigeria in securing the
release of the remaining girls from Boko Haram’s grip. The statement read: “The
Secretary-General welcomes the reported release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls,
following more than two years of captivity. “He remains deeply concerned about
the safety and well-being of the remaining schoolgirls and other victims of
abduction by Boko Haram, who are still in captivity.
“The Secretary-General
urges the international community to continue supporting the government of
Nigeria in its efforts to secure their release, rehabilitation and
reintegration. “He calls for increased efforts to ensure additional
humanitarian access in the north-east of Nigeria, and reiterates the continued
commitment of the United Nations in this regard. “The Special Representative of
the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, in his capacity as High
Representative for Nigeria, continues to engage with the Nigerian authorities
and international partners on this matter.”
Follow Solenzo Blog on
0 Comments