Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have reportedly called on the Federal Government to negotiate the release of more than 50 abducted residents in Borno State through a journalist they selected as a mediator.
The development came as the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) assured Nigerians that the 42 pupils abducted from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira Uba local government area of Borno State on May 15 had not been forgotten, assuring that troops were working tirelessly to secure their safe release.
It was gathered that 13 of the victims, including a seven-month-old baby and her mother, a pregnant woman with her three-year-old child, and a couple travelling together, were abducted while travelling from Biu to Maiduguri on April 15. Other victims include recent graduates, students and two siblings who were forced to sit in the boot of the vehicle because they could not afford the transport fare.
The spokesperson for the families of the abducted victims, Hassan Yati, confirmed on Friday that the kidnappers had provided relatives with a proof-of-life photograph, as well as voice notes from those in captivity.
According to Yati, the terrorist group requested that the government open a channel for negotiations through a journalist they had personally selected as mediator, although he declined to disclose the identity of the journalist. He, however, stated that the families were ready to provide all relevant information already received if the government showed interest in opening communication. “So, if the government reach out to us, we will link them up with the journalist and they can pick it from there”, he added.
When asked whether the terrorists had made additional demands, Yati said the group was prepared to disclose more details once communication with the government commenced. “It doesn’t have to be ransom like the case of Oyo. The government has the cards”, he said.
Yati appealed to both the Federal Government and the Borno State Government to act swiftly in the interest of families who have endured months of anguish since the abductions. “The demand of the terrorists is simple. Let the government engage them through the mediator they chose already”, he added.
On July 23, families of the victims, alongside relatives of other persons still in captivity, gathered at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Maiduguri to mark 100 days since the abductions and appealed to the government to intensify efforts towards securing their freedom.
