Lai Mohammed says girls weren’t exchanged for Boko Haram members

The minister noted that the girls were released at about 5:30am on Thursday after painstaking negotiations with the Boko Haram sect.

Lai Mohammed
(premiumtimes)

Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed has dismissed claims that the release of 21 Chibok girls was as a result of a swap deal with the Boko Haram terrorist sect.

There were reports that the Federal Government had released four Boko Haram members in exchange for the 21 Chibok girls who were set free by the terrorist this morning.

Addressing a world press conference in Abuja on Thursday, October 13, 2016, the minister said the release was based on confidence building between the Boko Haram sect and the government.

The minister noted that the girls were released at about 5:30am on Thursday after painstaking negotiations with the Boko Haram sect.

“Please note that this is not a swap, it is a release, the product of painstaking negotiations and trust on both sides,” he said.

“As soon as the necessary confidence was built on both sides, the parties agreed on the date and the location of the release of the 21 girls.

“We can confirm that the DSS pursued the lead in collaboration with a friendly European country and a renowned international humanitarian organization. The DSS was supported by the military," he said.

Mohammed stated that the federal government has lined up a team of doctors, psychologists, social workers and trauma experts to "properly attend to the girls" given their long stay in captivity.

The minister noted that negotiations are ongoing to secure the release of the other girls from their abductors