A second round of negotiation for the release of more Chibok school girls will open on Monday. Twenty-one of girls 21 were released to the Federal Government on Tuesday night by the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.

Their release came after months of “delegate and complex negotiations,” sources said.

The Federal Government claimed that the Swiss Government and the Red Cross helped to broker the deal. However, the Swiss Government and the Red Cross immediately issued a disclaimer saying were not part of the deal.

Twenty-one Chibok girls were handed over to Nigerian authorities around 3am yesterday, at Kumshe, a village few kilometres from Banki, in Borno State.

It was gathered that representatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) and a local NGO based in Maiduguri handled the last leg of the deal.

They were flown in a chopper from Maiduguri to Kumshe where they met with Shekau’s representatives and received the girls.

It was gathered the Swiss Government and Red Cross had to distanced themselves so that they are not seen publically to have been involved because international convention prohibits negotiating with terrorist organisations.

Defence Headquarters also yesterday said it was not aware of any deal in respect of the Chibok girls’ release but sources said the Nigerian Army, Air Force and Navy had to distance themselves in line with international standard for the politicians to take the whole credit.

Sources close to the deal said the negotiation was sealed after more than 18 months of failed attempts because Shekau kept changing his demands.

However, following the shaft division in the group when the Islamic State disowned Shekau, the Boko Haram leader “softened his demands”, a development that led to the release of the girls.

Proof of life

One of the sources close to the deal told Daily Trust that the Boko Haram and some of the Shura members in his camp agreed to release only 20 of the Chibok girls “at the first instance” and another set would be set free after further discussion.

He said, “There were several attempts but we succeeded in striking the deal few days ago. It was Shekau that decided that yesterday (Thursday) should be the day that the girls would be released and gave the designated place.

“He was not there himself, he only sent his representatives and instead of bringing 20 girls, they came with 21.”

It was ransom, not swap

Another source said “a huge ransom” was paid for the release of the girls but declined to say how much was paid.

“The money was taken to the point of the exchange but no Boko Haram commander in the custody of Nigerian authorities was released,” he said.

He said the Boko Haram commanders that came from the bushes were also ready for any eventuality.

“They were adequately prepared, in case they would be betrayed but as you know, the negotiation was done based on trust and you know that the Swiss Government will not do anything that will jeopardise its long-standing respect as a country that is amenable to negotiations rather than force.

“On the other hand, the Boko Haram leaders have absolute faith in the local humanitarian NGO,” he said.

Only 104 girls willing to return

It was also learnt that of the 200 Chibok girls in the hands of the insurgents, some have actually died as a result of military operations and natural causes.

However, among those that were alive, only 104 are willing to return to their parents while the rest said they are not interested in coming back, our sources said.

“The 21 that returned were among the 104. The rest said they have ‘accepted Islam’ and have already gotten married to some Boko Haram commanders and leaders.

“And during the negotiation, Shekau said he will not compel any of the girls to renounce their new found religion and love,” he said.

Boko Haram in custody reluctant to return to Shekau

Like some of the Chibok girls that do not want to return, it was gathered that most of the Boko Haram commanders in custody of Nigerian Government were reluctant to go back to Shekau.

According to sources, while Shekau had persistently called for the release of his fighters as condition for the release of the girls, he was told during the recent negotiation process that the fighters were not willing to go back to the bushes.

“It was based on this that he agreed to collect ransom,” a source said.

It was gathered that the Boko Haram fighters in custody are afraid that Shekau may not likely trust them any longer because of their “long stay” outside his reach, and may therefore execute them.

Another source said some of them have been “de-radicalised” while in custody and therefore not willing to go back to fighting.

“In fact, the reason why some of the Boko Haram commanders in custody could not be released to rejoin their families is because of fear of stereotype by the larger society.

“They have been de-radicalised after they were subjected to superior argument by clerics deployed by government while in custody,” he said.

About 276 girls were abducted on April 14, 2014 during a night raid by Boko Haram militants at Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in southern part of Borno State.

About 57 of the girls escaped while they were being ferried into the Sambisa forest on the night of the abduction. One l girl was rescued in April this year.

•Excerpted from a Daily Trust report. Photo shows the released Chibok girls during their reception . . . Thursday at Aso Presidential Villa, Abuja.

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