Ebun Francis || The director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura on Monday explained why the country negotiated with Boko Haram insurgents for the release of the three abducted University of Maiduguri lectures and 10 women they abducted earlier in the year.
According to Daura, who spoke when President Buhari received the freed captives at Aso Rock, negotiation with the insurgents was the “safest” means of rescuing them as any attempt to rescue them forcefully could have endangered their lives.
He stated that negotiations were slow because they had to deal two groups in different locations.
He said, “We choose the path of negotiation because it was considered as the safest because any forceful attempt to rescue the victims could endanger their lives.”
“These negotiations took several months and the Department of State Services with the support of the external elements of the group in diaspora and support from friendly countries and liaising with International Community of the Red Cross, made the rescue possible.
“The process was slow due to the problem of dealing with two different groups based in different locations at the same time. In addition, the negotiations took place mostly outside the country, though subsequently finalised in the theater of operations.
“The negotiations were mainly centred on an attempt at conflict mitigation which includes the fate of arrested members of the insurgent groups especially, accepting to free by government those found not to be culpable in any criminal action.
“Also, possible cessation of hostilities especially the attacks with IEDs on innocent civilians, worship centers, schools and other public places in return for temporary stoppage of air strikes by helicopter gunships.”