A report has emerged that the Swiss government paid millions of dollars on behalf of the Nigerian government to Boko Haram to facilitate the release of the 21 Chibok schoolgirls.
Twenty-one Chibok schoolgirls out of over 200 abducted by Boko Haram were released Thursday morning to Nigeria’s security officials near Sambisa forest by the insurgents in a negotiated dealinvolving the Nigerian government, Boko Haram and the Swiss government.
The Nigerian government on Thursday denied that the released Chibok girls were swapped with detained Boko Haram terrorists. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed clarified at different fora that there was no swapping deal with the insurgents.
Conflicting reports emerging about whether the first negotiated release of the 21 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria in 2014 involved a ransom payment, a prisoner swap for Islamic extremist commanders or both linger.
A Nigerian hostage negotiator who was not involved in the schoolgirls’ release tells The Associated Press a “handsome ransom” in the millions of dollars was paid by Switzerland’s government on behalf of the Nigerian authorities.
Swiss officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment after confirming that they played a neutral, humanitarian role in the operation.