President, military split on how to rescue schoolgirls

Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria

Nigeria’s military chiefs and the president apparently are split over how to free nearly 300 schoolgirls abducted by Islamic extremists, with the military saying use of force endangers the hostages and the president reportedly ruling out a prisoner-hostage swap.

The defense chief, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, announced Monday night that the military has located the girls but offered no details or a way forward. “We can’t go and kill our girls in the name of trying to get them back,” he said.

Previous military attempts to free hostages have led to the prisoners’ being killed by their abductors, including the deaths of two engineers, a Briton and an Italian, in Sokoto in March 2012.

A human-rights activist close to mediators said a swap of detained extremists for the girls was negotiated a week ago but fell through because President Goodluck Jonathan refused to consider an exchange. The activist spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the activist is not permitted to speak to the press.

Britain’s Minister for Africa, Mark Simmonds, said two weeks ago that the Nigerian leader had told him categorically he would not consider a prisoner swap.

Community leader Pogu Bitrus of Chibok, the town from which the girls were abducted April 15, says authorities are speaking with “discordant voices” and the president appears under pressure to negotiate.

“The pressure is there if his own lieutenants are saying one [thing]. Because if they cannot use force, the deduction is that there must be negotiation,” Bitrus said. “And if their commander-in-chief, the president, is saying that he will not negotiate, then they are not on the same page.”

Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno state, the birthplace of the Boko Haram extremists and the northeastern state from which the girls were abducted, said recently: “We impress on the federal authorities to work with our friends that have offered to assist us to ensure the safe recovery of the innocent girls.”

Nigeria’s military and government have faced national and international outrage over their failure to rescue the girls seized by Boko Haram militants from a remote northeastern school six weeks ago.

Jonathan finally accepted international help. American planes have been searching for the girls, and Britain, France, Israel and other countries have sent experts in surveillance and hostage negotiation.