Abuja, Nigeria-
After assurances by the Nigerian government late last month that Boko Haram was engage in cease fire talks with the government and had agreed to release the more than 200 school girls abducted from their boarding school in April. A government aid to President Jonathan Goodluck expressed that officials were cautiously optimistic that these ceasefire negotiations would be successful. Families of the girls anxiously awaited reunion with their loved ones.
But as of yesterday, when a video of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, was given to the Nigerian government, this optimism was shattered. In the video, Shekau, dressed in military fatigues and flanked on both sides by militants, announced that the ceasefire deal was a lie, and that there was never any deal with the Nigerian government to release the girls, or carryout any of the other alleged agreements pursuant to the ceasefire. He also stressed that if there was a negotiator among them, he will be found out and “slaughtered,” and that Boko Haram will never negotiate with the government that it is unnecessary because Allah has told Boko Haram leaders that they do not need to partake in such engagements.
As for the fate of the kidnapped girls, Shekau laughed during the video when he announced that the girls will not be released. According to him, the girls have converted to Islam, have been married off, and are now in their marital homes. The girls have also, allegedly, memorized two chapters of the Qur’an.
The Nigerian government is in the process of trying to salvage the situation and determine a way to return the girls home. Needless to say, the recent video denying the existence of any negotiations between Boko Haram and the Nigerian government is embarrassing for the government, which had released the news of the cease fire and the terms. Certainly the situation undermines the credibility of the government, as well as the negotiating capacity it may have.
Recent attacks carried out by Boko Haram, which have included the kidnap of young women and girls, and left dozens dead, further substantiate Shekau’s assertions in his video that there were never any negotiations, and that the militant group has no intention of ceasing attacks. The group’s goal is to establish a caliphate in Nigeria and administer to the country through Sharia law. The group has also been fairly consistent in following through on threats, which is troubling, particularly in light of the Shekau video addressing the marriage, and conversion to Islam, of the kidnapped girls.
For more information, please visit:
BBC News- Boko Haram denies ceasefire claim by Nigeria’s government- 31 Oct., 2014
The Wall Street Journal- Boko Haram denies Nigeria’s cease-fire claim– 1 Nov., 2014
Al Jazeera- Missing Nigerian school girls married off– 1 Nov., 2014
CNN- Boko Haram leader denies ceasefire deal, says 200 abducted girls married off– 1 Nov., 2014
