Buhari asks UN to mediate in Release of Chibok girls'
President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the United Nations (UN)
Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, to facilitate the mediation between
Nigeria and the Boko Haram sect for the release of the abducted Chibok
schoolgirls.
The terrorist group is demanding that the Federal Government frees
its detained fighters in exchange for the over 200 schoolgirls
kidnapped in April 14, 2014, a condition the government has accepted
only if it establishes the genuine leadership of the group and the
safety of the girls.
Speaking at a bilateral meeting with the UN scribe on the sidelines of
the 71st UN General Assembly in New York, Buhari said his
administration was willing to bend over backwards just to get the
Chibok girls released safely.
His words: “The challenge is in getting credible and bona fide
leadership of Boko Haram to discuss with. The split in the insurgent
group is not helping matters. Government had reached out, ready to
negotiate, but it became difficult to identify credible leaders. We
will welcome intermediaries such as UN outfits to step in.”
The President reiterated that the teachings of Boko Haram were far from
being Islamic, as neither Islam, nor any other religion, advocates
hurting the weak and innocent.
“The fact that they kill men, women, children, and other people
wantonly, and shout Allahu Akbar (God is great) shows that they do not
know that Allah at all. If they did, they would not shed innocent
blood,” the president pointed out.
He thanked Ban Ki-moon for the moral and material support given to
Nigeria, which has enabled the country surmount many of the challenges
facing her.
In his response, the UN Secretary-General congratulated President Buhari on the anti-corruption war.
“You are highly respected by world leaders, including myself. Your
persona has given your country a positive image,” the UN scribe told
Buhari.
He said the UN recognised the achievements of the Buhari administration
against Boko Haram, but urged that human rights be upheld always to
prevent a repeat of the scenario being witnessed in Syria.
Ki-moon thanked Buhari for his commitment to issues on climate change,
adding that the government should “own the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs),” for the good of Nigerians.
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