Buhari: Nigeria ready to negotiate with Boko Haram

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has said he is ready to negotiate with Boko Haram for the release of more than 200 girls kidnapped in April last year.

In a televised media talk on Wednesday, President Muhammadu Buhari says they must first identify a credible leadership to engage for an amicable truce.

“If a credible leadership of Boko Haram can be established and they tell us where those girls are, we are prepared to negotiate with them without preconditions. This we have made absolutely clear.”

“We are looking for a credible Boko Haram leadership, that will convince us the girls are there and alive.”

Boko Haram snatched the girls from dormitories in the northeastern town of Chibok in April 2014, sparking international outrage and condemnation.

Buhari, during his inauguration speech as president in May, promised to do everything possible to free the girls.

Buhari has also said in a recent interview that his administration has technically won the war against Boko Haram.

#PresidentialMediaChat: #Buhari wants Nigerians to ensure that they become each others keepers on the issue of security #AskBuhari

— Channels Television (@channelstv) December 30, 2015

A total of 276 girls were abducted April 14, 2014 by the terrorist group as they were preparing to pass school examinations. A few dozens of them had managed to escape, but about 200 of them remained in the hands of the group.

Boko Haram’s insurgency has claimed more than 17,000 dead and 2.5 million displaced since 2009.