Nigeria paid 5million euros to secure release of Dapchi girls, not true says Buhari
Boko Haram fighters in the custody of the Nigerian military also exchanged
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Contrary to the claims of two ministers of President Muhammadu Buhari, a handsome ransom of five million euros was paid to Boko Haram to secure the release of Dapchi girls freed by the insurgents early Wednesday morning, according to SaharaReporters.
This is in addition to Boko Haram fighters in the custody of the Nigerian military exchanged for the release of the girls.
The Online media also claims that Lawal Daura, the Director General of the Department of State Services, DSS, who has been in charge of the ‘opaque negotiations’ with Boko haram terrorists has, along with some government officials, built a big business out of kidnap for ransom negotiations.
President Buhari however said the girls were released unconditionally and no ransom was paid.
“The lie that no ransom was paid to secure the return of the Dapchi girls followed a consistent pattern of such under the table millions of dollars payments by the Nigerian government to Boko Haram to secure freedom of abductees, especially since the advent of the Buhari administration”, Saharareporters wrote.
It was believed that huge ‘ransom’ was paid to Boko Haram for freedom of three university lecturers and the 10 women recently released by the insurgents while between two to three million euros were also paid by the Federal Government to Boko Haram in exchange for the release of 82 Chibok girls in 2017.
The BBC had reported that millions of euro in cash were handed over to the insurgents in exchange for the release of the girls in addition to the release of five senior Boko Haram militants were bomb-makers.
“The ransom was €2m. Boko Haram asked for euros. They chose the suspects and gave us the list of girls who would be freed,” BBC quoted a source as confirming the deal with Boko Haram.
In his Address On The Occasion Of Reception Of The Released Dapchi Schoolgirls On 23rd March 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari he is ‘delighted to formally announce to Nigerians and our International friends and partners that One Hundred and Seven (107) Dapchi students previously abducted have been unconditionally released by their abductors’.
“This cheery and hearty development signify our commitment to the security and well-being of all Nigerians”, Buhari said.
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“We are never in doubt about our focus and direction since the assumption of office of this Administration. Security, anti-corruption and revamping of our economy are the main focus of our government.
“You will recall that on 14th of this month, I paid a visit to Yobe State during which I sympathized with the parents, families, Government and people of the State for the tragic abduction of the students in Dapchi.
“I made a solemn pledge on my word of honour that this Administration would do everything possible to ensure the unconditional release of the girls.
“I further tasked all the appropriate security agencies to safely bring back the girls. We also reached out to our contacts at home and abroad. We embarked on back-channel shuttles with a clear view to bringing to an end this tragedy.
“We entered into negotiations solely to make sure that no single girl was hurt. This strategy paid off as the girls have been released without any incidents.
“While parents of the Dapchi girls rejoice because of the reunion with their children, I want to appeal to the Chibok Community never to lose hope or to despair. We are determined as never before, to bring back our remaining Chibok daughters. And this, we must accomplish. And that will be soon by God’s grace.
“While further efforts are being made to secure the release of every abducted citizen in Nigeria, Government is ever ready to accept the unconditional laying down of arms by members of the Boko Haram group, who show strong commitment in this regard. We are ready to rehabilitate and integrate such repentant members into the larger society”, President Buhari stated..
However, Saharareporters sources say Lawal Daura, the Director General of the Department of State Services, DSS, who has been in charge of the ‘opaque negotiations’ with terrorists has, along with some government officials, built a big business out of kidnap for ransom negotiations.
Analysts have also argued that the eagerness of the Buhari administration to pay ransom for abductees is fueling the thirst of various factions of Boko Haram for mass kidnappings.
Nigerian lawmakers had warned that Boko Haram now kidnap women and girls so as to negotiate and “get money” from the federal government “just like the case of Chibok girls.”
“What happened is a lesson for us. That Boko Haram sees girls or women as value targets. What they did in Chibok earned them some funds, because negotiations were held somehow and they got a lot of money,” Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan said during the debate at the plenary of the Senate last month.
They devise a means of going to abduct people so that they would negotiate with the federal government for ransom. It happened with the recent abduction of Maiduguri staff that were on an exploration. The government negotiated with them and they got money. Now they have been empowered, even with police officers wives, the federal government went and negotiated with them and they were given money,” Senator Joshua Lidani representing Gombe South said.
“We need to be very proactive in this case because the idea of sitting down to always negotiating and paying ransom with this action, we are empowering the Boko- Haram so that they would continue to do more,” he added.
