When I got the news, I couldn’t resist the urge of seeing Olivia Pope walk out the oval office and then Fitzgerald bragging next about how the President of the free world does not negotiate with terrorists – all in my head, I’m sorry it’s no shade but I just couldn’t help.
Yesterday, the Nigerian Presidency disclosed its plans to negotiate for the freedom of the 110 school girls that were abducted from the town of Dapchi last month in the northeast region, rather than use military operations to fix the situation. It’s important to note that this particular kidnapping is second to the largest since the jihadist group: Boko Haram abducted more than 270 girls from Chibok in 2014, today about 100 of them are still in captivity with rumored news of exchanged transactions for the release of other girls.
“Nigeria prefers to have schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram from Chibok and Dapchi back alive, and that is why it has chosen negotiation, rather than a military option,” Buhari’s office said in an emailed statement issued by the president’s spokesman. “President Buhari added that Nigeria was working in concert with international organisations and negotiators, to ensure that the girls were released unharmed by their captors,” the presidency statement said.
The emailed statement also reads Buhari thanking the U.S. for assistance rendered in the fight against Boko Haram, noting that Nigerian forces are good but need assistance with training and equipment. Trust me, we can’t wait to see where this leads us, as long as we get our girls back, Mr. President.
