The Nigerian Government has been warned not to exchange Boko Haram insurgents for the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls abducted and kept since April 14 by the terrorist group.

The warning was given on Friday in Abuja by the General Overseer of Shiloh Word Chapel (a.k.a Faith Nations), Prophet Ikechukwu Samuel, who said the exchange would exacerbate the security challenges in the North East.

According to him, releasing the sect members would not be in national interest but would cast a great dent the image of the Federal Government.

Ikechukwu said: “If you release the girls in place of people that the law says should remain in detention as investigation goes on, the people have not changed their mindset, you have not changed their agreement, you have not changed their spirit, their heart and decisions. It will be a costly mistake, Jonathan and his government will regret it.”

He suggested that rather than embark on such actions, arrested insurgents should be interrogated by security agencies to ascertain their real mission, agenda, grievances and sponsors.

Hear him: “The security agencies should ask them questions to know more about their activities, they should be interrogated to know about their emotional dialogue: why are you doing this? Why do you hate mankind? Who are your sponsors? What is your mission? What are your demands from the government for these killings to stop?”

Prophet Samuel supported the recommendation of the ongoing National Conference that religious organisations should pay tax to government.

On the activities of his church since it began operations in 2011, the cleric said: “We have been winning souls for Christ; we have been raising men to serve God and to serve mankind. We offer free services for the less-privileged. We offer help, provide shelter, and offer educational scholarships to indigent people.

“We have recorded over 300 healing and miracles and have also changed lives. Within these three years. We have had 30 prophecies coming to past about this nation. Through our church, God has changed the lives of a lot of people.”

•Photo shows some of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.