Boko Haram faction ready to negotiate the release of 83 more Chibok Girls

Faction of the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram, say they are willing to negotiate the release of 83 more Chibok school girls among the 219 kidnapped from their school in April 2014 in Borno state Nigeria, following the released of 21 girls by the sect last week, said president Muhammadu Buhari’s  spokesman on Monday.

21 of the girls were released last week Thursday following a deal brokered by the Red Cross and the Swiss government.

Speaking to the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone, Garba Shehu, the spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari said;

“These 21 released girls are supposed to be tale bearers to tell the Nigerian government that this faction of Boko Haram has 83 more Chibok girls.”

“The faction said it is ready to negotiate if the government is willing to sit down with them,” Shehu said adding that the country is ready to negotiate with the Boko Haram faction.

According to Shehu, the Islamic State-allied splinter group said the rest of the kidnapped Chibok school girls were with the other faction of Boko Haram under the control of Abubakar Shekau.

The terrorist group Boko Haram has apparently split with a big group moving away from Shekau over his failure to adhere to guidance from the Iraq- and Syria-based Islamic State, which in August named Musab al-Barnawi as its new leader for West Africa.

By Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani/ Thomson Reuters Foundation