Chief
of defence staff (CDS) has said negotiating the release of detained
Boko Haram members is a political decision that will not stop troops
from maintaining the ongoing operations in the north-east.
Abayomi Olonishakin, Chief of Defence Staff
While addressing reporters after a workshop organised for top
Security Chiefs inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Nigeria’s Chief of
Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Abayomi Olonishakin, on Monday
responded to the prisoners’ swap demand made by Boko Haram in a new
video of the abducted Chibok girls.
General Olonishakin who spoke after the meeting on how to respond
to emergency situations such as terrorism, said that the demand that the
Federal Government swap detained Boko Haram members for the Chibok
Girls, was a political decision that would not stop ongoing military
operations.
For the second time since their abduction two years ago, the video
of the missing Chibok Girls with their captors has gone viral, and
Defense chief said other security chiefs were studying the latest video
released by the sect, with the hope of rescuing the remaining Chibok
schoolgirls in captivity.
“The military’s decision is that we are going ahead with our
operations. The operation is being conducted appropriately. The meeting
was about how we handle crisis, all forms of crisis, be it flood or
terrorism.
“We are analysing the video released by Boko Haram and we will make appropriate comments at the right time,” he said.
Also at the workshop was the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed,
who reiterated his position that the government was on top of the
situation, saying that efforts to rescue the girls would continue until
the girls are out, adding that it's an optimism many Nigerians would
want to see happen in the nearest possible future.
