Nigeria's UN permanent representative says state may negotiate with Boko Haram.

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NIGERIA'S permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) Professor Joy Ogwu has indicated that the government is still open to the prospect of negotiating the release of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls with terrorist sect Boko Haram.

On April 14, Boko Haram kidnapped 234 pupils from Government Girls Secondary School Chibok in Borno State in the middle of the night from their boarding school. Since then, the girls have been held in captivity, with Boko Haram insisting that they will only be released in exchange for the fighters currently in detention.

President Goodluck Jonathan has ruled out an exchange, however, as there are fears that entering into such a deal with Boko Haram will only embolden the sect to carry out more abductions. However, with the girls having been detained for over 100 days now, pressure is on the government to act and Professor Ogwu said an exchange cannot be ruled out.

Professor Ogwu added: "Terrorism is a global problem that requires global solution and instead of a military option, the strategy has widened to include negotiation and dialogue with these people. I believe that it is time to move forward really, to find a solution to this problem, to find the girls first and foremost.

“At the UN, where I am Nigeria’s permanent representative, I made a statement in 2011 when the UN building in Abuja was bombed, noting very unequivocally, that violence and suicide are not in the character of the Nigerian. This is an alien culture, an external influence and it is important to work concertedly with all nations to make sure that it is not implanted in our culture."

She said the international community should use the momentum created by the Chibok schoolgirls’ kidnapping to reflect and go forward in the fight against terrorism. According to Professor Ogwu,  Nigerians have not given up hope on the release of the girls as they have persevered in prayer vigils, protests and appeals to their abductors to free them.

“We forbid suicide as a people and people who commit suicide are not given a decent burial. So, what indoctrination is that, that persuades a young person who is named a terrorist to strap himself and bomb people or to abduct children?

“This is an alien indoctrination and part of the strategy to deal with it is to de-radicalise these people. They must be de-radicalised to become normal people again,” Professor Ogwu added.

According to the Human Rights Watch, Boko Haram is so far responsible for the death of over 2,053 civilians in 95 attacks during the first six months of 2014. In May, at the request of Nigeria, the terrorist group was added to the UN Security Council’s al-Qaeda-linked organisations subject to an arms embargo and asset freeze.