Leah: Negotiations with Boko Haram tortuous ―FG

THE federal government on Thursday assured that it will not leave to her fate, Leah Sharibu, the lone Christian school girl from Dapchi still in the custody of Boko Haram insurgents having been abducted with 110 of her mates last February.

One hundred and five of the girls taken from Government Girls Science Secondary School, Dapchi were returned by their abductors while five of them were believed to have died.

Leah was said to have been held back by Boko Haram because she refused to renounce her religion.

When asked about the effort of government to return Leah, who clocked 15 years on Monday, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed told State House correspondents that negation with the terrorists was tortuous.

He said this was because the negotiation was being carried out directly with the terrorists.

He said: “I think Mr. President actually addressed that issue in Washington and my position is always the same that we are yet to resolve the issue of six girls. 111 girls were kidnapped, 105 were returned and we are busy on daily basis asking and negotiating and asking what happened to those five officially at least and then what is delaying the young girl Leah Sharibu.

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“Negotiations with insurgents are quite tortuous and complicated a times but I can assure you we are not leaving her to her fate and those who should are daily busy working on her release.”

When pressed to explain the “tortuous,” the minister added: “Anybody who negotiates with insurgents and terrorists in the world will know that is not a direct face to face negotiation like we are doing.”

The federal government had explained when 105 of the girls were released in March that they were secured through back-channel efforts and with the help of some friends of the country.