Exclusive report provides reasons why the negotiations between the Nigerian government and Boko Haram side on the release of Chibok girls failed July in Yola.
The information provided was reportedly gathered from various insider sourced in Abuja, Yola, and Geneva. It is believed that the Federal Government collapses the final deal fulfillment by unnecessary demonstration of enthusiasm and force.
The intense 30-day talks involved several prominent figures: Nigerian civil rights leaders, Fred Eno, and Shehu Sani, lawyer Mustapha Zanna and PDP chieftain Kaka Bolori, also 3 top Red Cross officials. Meanwhile the other side was represented by 2 Boko Haram commanders.
The parties to the negotiations described Yola talks or “Yola debacle” as a key moment leading to failure.
First stage of the negotiations
After weeks on intense talks led by Nigeria’s former Minister of Information Edwin Clark the sides allegedly agreed on the swap of Chibok girls for some key Boko Haram prisoners.
In terms of this condition the sources said that Boko Haram were “initially modest in their demands, asking for just 10 of their field captains who appear to have a holding grip on the imagination of the fighting forces”. At this time, this was against the whole abducted girls.
A strange thing occurred when the security started shopping for the 10 detainees. The argument was within internal struggles in the camp of the insurgency forces about the ethnic composition of the 10 names listed.
“They were all of Kanuri nationality and it appeared the Hausa/Fulani faction protested this.”
This disagreement caused 1-week delay and introduction of a “new list of 15 was tabled, and then it was increased to 16″.
“Abuja stage”
“We almost lost ten days again to this but after a meeting at the Kuje prisons, near Abuja, where Mustapha Umar, one of the commanders on the list was held, the government team saw a new ray of hope.”
However, the tension increased. While first Boko Haram negotiators allegedly demanded release of 16 sect commanders for all Chibok girls, then they changed their mind for only 30 students.
Sources claim that Clark explained that such a deal was not acceptable.
Boko Haram negotiators first insisted on their position, but they later deferred to the age of Mr. Clark.
Then the Red Cross representatives insisted that the consent from both prisoners and girls should be received before the deal was finalized.
Both sides were comfortable with it and Boko Haram said it would also help “dispel the claims that the girls were being maltreated or that they have been forced into marriage which will shock many people when the girls return”.
Thus it was all to be completed in Yola, the point of swap as agreed: government side would sneak into Adamawa capital, the Red Cross would take custody of the girls, the insurgents would receive the prisoners.
“Yola stage”
However what was supposed to be a discreet arrangement allegedly turned into a loud orchestra show, with the involvement of a Boeing 737 jet to convey the girls to Abuja.
According to an insider source, “when we arrived Yola, half of the airport was covered with security forces. Then they moved negotiators to the presidential lounge for a two-hour wait…then 48 hours in the hotel…but Yola had been infiltrated by these people and the security presence sent a wrong signal…clearly these people didn’t trust the arrangement and they never showed up.”
Fred Edo, when contacted for comments, said:
“The whole thing is unfortunate, but hopefully we can revive the negotiations. The president desperately wanted the girls released, but politics of positioning stood in the way of progress.”
Shehu Sani considered in irrelevant to discuss what did not work, at least before the girls are brought back.
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