Abducted Chibok Girls: UK Rejects Negotiation With Boko Haram

The United Kingdom has kicked against any plan by Nigeria to negotiate with Boko Haram over the kidnapped schoolgirls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

The over 200 pupils were kidnapped in the night and their hostels burnt before being transported in trucks to the Sambisa forest stronghold of Boko Haram. Over 50 of the schoolgirls escaped from the sect and there have been reports that some of the pupils have been seen being moved out of Nigeria.

Other reports have said the girls were seen in the northern parts of the Central African Republic where an Islamic militia, Seleka, holds sway.

Two weeks ago, the leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau, in a video asked for the release of Boko Haram detainees in exchange for the pupils. The Federal Government turned down the request.

On Friday, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office told SUNDAY PUNCH that Britain would not support a negotiation because it might lead to further abductions.

In an email exchange with our correspondent, UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Press Officer, Pasquale LaManno, said, “Abductions are complex and the official response cannot be played out in public. This often hands the advantage to the abductors, meaning speculation, even well-intentioned, can be dangerous.

“We share the Government of Nigeria’s objective of seeing the girls safely released without terrorists benefiting. Ransoms or concessions feed instability and violence and often lead to further abductions. The Government of Nigeria has agreed, including in public comments, statements. However, this is primarily a matter for them to consider.”

LaManno also refuted reports that only the US was assisting Nigeria to rescue the abducted pupils. On Thursday, the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, reportedly said only America was helping Nigeria in its fight against terrorism.

“Since the abductions, our High Commissioner in Abuja has been in continuous contact with Nigerian authorities about how best to assist in their efforts to secure the girls’ release and bring those responsible to justice. This followed the Foreign Secretary’s call to the Nigerian Foreign Minister Wali about this case on April 18.

“The UK advisory team arrived Nigeria on May 9. Following initial scoping work by the advisory team, the Prime Minister announced on May 14 that we had offered Nigeria surveillance aircraft, a military team to embed with the Nigerian Army in their headquarters, and a team to work with the US experts to analyse information on the girls’ location,” he said.

The FCO spokesperson added that the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, had promised to assist Nigeria beyond military support.

“We will go beyond military assistance and provide support and funding to the UN’s ‘Safe Schools Initiative’. FCO Africa Minister, Simmonds further outlined that we are doubling investment in our conflict resolution programmes in Nigeria.

“These are the main elements of a package of support and advice we are now taking forward with Nigerians in response to their requests. Minister Simmonds was in Abuja on May 14 to finalise details of the package, including with President Jonathan who again expressed gratitude for UK assistance.

“The UK, the US and France advisory team joint working arrangements, put in place to ensure the urgent work of this ‘P3’ group of UN Security Council permanent members, is well co-ordinated with the Nigerian government and other international partners to avoid duplication and maximise impact.”

Speaking on the UK spy plane despatched to help in the search for the abducted Chibok girls which was forced to land in Senegal for repairs, LaManno, said, “The Sentinel aircraft will be operational shortly. (I’m unable to go into further detail).”

Similarly, while stating that it would do all it could to rescue the abducted girls, the UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Mr. William Hague, said Britain was anti-negotiation with terrorist groups.

Hague said this on Friday while reacting to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee’s Seventh Report.

The UK Secretary of State stated that Britain has a close working relationship with the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, while it has a defence section in the High Commission in Nigeria and a small British Military Advisory Training Team, which he said, would be strengthened.

“Under the UK’s Presidency in 2013, the G8 made an unequivocal commitment to reject ransom payments to terrorists. Building on this momentum, the UK sponsored a landmark UN Security Council Resolution on KfR (Resolution 2133), which was unanimously adopted by the UN Security Council on 27 January 2014.

“This resolution makes clear the Security Council’s determination to secure the release of hostages without ransom payments or political concessions.

“We offered assistance to the Nigerian authorities following the kidnap of the Chibok schoolgirls. The UK assistance aims to enable Nigerians to disrupt terrorism by having effective legislation, and by conducting effective terrorism investigations, arrests and detentions based on respect for the rule of law and human rights.

He further disclosed that more funds may be allocated to Nigeria to fight terrorism.

“We are also working through the EU to help coordinate increased EU assistance through the Instrument for Stability fund and successfully negotiated the first tranche of EU assistance for Nigeria’s CT efforts (€10 million) in 2013.

“We are currently in discussions in Brussels to see whether more funds could be released under an emergency mechanism to address some of the ongoing security and stability threats in Nigeria,” Hague said.