NIGERIA: Mixed reaction to Nigerian government refusal to swap prisioners for schoolgirls

Record ID: 236723

  • Title: NIGERIA: Mixed reaction to Nigerian government refusal to swap prisioners for schoolgirls
  • Date: 15th May 2014
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF NEWSPAPERS
  • Embargoed: 30th May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Crime,Conflict,Domestic Politics,People
  • Reuters ID: LVA44J1SEKA07M8VA1RZF9SQG4L3
  • Story Text: Nigerians in the country's most populous city Lagos reacted with mixed views on Thursday (May 15), to President Goodluck Jonathan's refusal to exchange imprisoned militants for more than 200 Chibok schoolgirls as part of a deal proposed by Islamist rebel group Boko Haram which abducted the girls last month.
    The government instead said it was open to broader talks with the rebels.
    Initially officials said they were exploring all options with respect to the swap proposal, but Jonathan further refined that position on Wednesday (May 14) during talks with Britain's Minister for Africa, Mark Simmonds.
    Following that meeting Simmonds told reporters that the president made it very clear there would be "no negotiations" with Boko Haram that involved a swap of abducted schoolgirls for prisoners.
    Lagos businessman, Patrick, said he agreed with the president's stance.
    "It can cause, lead to breakdown of law and order in a country. So I support the president's stand on that exchange. Doesn't make sense and no right thinking president would want to exchange criminals for hostages," he said.
    However, real estate manager Godwin Umama suggested Nigeria should negotiate with Boko Haram.
    "Jonathan refusing to replace, to release the militants or the terrorist members who are being withhold in exchange for those girls is something that is a pathetic thing to everybody. Now we all know that it's not by standard in the world, nobody negotiates with terrorists so if he should do, that means it's a slap on the human rights action," he said.
    President Goodluck Jonathan has been under pressure to crush the rebels who have killed thousands in their campaign for an Islamist state and to free the girls whose abduction a month ago has sparked global outrage.
    One Lagos resident said Jonathan should do whatever was necessary to save the girls.
    "I will like Jonathan to swap the militants to the girls in order to save their lives because if you attack the militants, they will use those girls as human shield and they will lose most of them. So it is good for us to do that, government know how to fish out those people among the communities. Let them take their fingerprints and whatever before releasing them, they will still get them back," said Chima Moses.
    Boko Haram has waged a five-year insurgency in northern Nigeria for an Islamic state.
    A month ago its fighters stormed a school in the village of Chibok and seized 276 girls who were taking exams. Some escaped but about 200 remain missing.
    On Monday, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau released a video showing some of the girls in captivity and raised the prisoner exchange deal.
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