by S’ola Filani

A  report in the Nation newspaper claims that Boko Haram has agreed to swap some of the abducted 219 Chibok girls for 18 members. According to the Nation, Boko Haram sent the list of its commanders and the 30 girls to be swapped to a minister, who is also a lawyer, an elder statesman and a key facilitator of peace with the sect, Shehu Sani, who is also the President of the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria.

The list, it was learnt, was sent after secret talks between a government delegation and a Boko Haram commander, who is being detained in Kuje Prison in Abuja.

One of the sources who spoke to the newspaper, said: “Some top officials met with Umar about two weeks ago in Kuje Prison to discuss issues connected to the fate of the Chibok girls.

“We heard some inmates sharing this information that the sect might swap the girls with Umar and others. But all the details are still secret because Umar keeps to himself a lot”.

But another source allegedly said: “The delegation had a fruitful negotiation with Umar, who is one of the highly-rated commanders of Boko Haram. The group assured Umar of a swap and he has been looking forward to it.

“The sect has given a list of 18 of its members to be swapped with the abducted Chibok girls”.

The government has offered to release the 18 key Boko Haram leaders/ members only on the condition that all the Chibok girls will be freed.

“So, technically, the release of 30 girls was unacceptable to the government based on the advice of some security agents”, another source said, adding, “you can see why Nigerians should stop blaming Boko Haram from continuously keeping these girls in captivity. What is of concern now is to get even these 30 girls out to prove to the whole world that they are alive”.

Sola