Against popular reports, the International Red Cross has said it did not negotiate the release of the 21 out of 200 abducted Chibok Girls.
Abducted Chibok Girls
The International Committee of the Red Cross on Sunday said it did not negotiation for the release of 21 Chibok girls out of over 200 that were abducted by the terrorist group.
This was revealed in Lagos by the International President, ICRC, Peter Maurer. Maurer said though the girls were released to the ICRC by the Boko Haram sect to hand over to the Federal Government, negotiation for release of hostages was not part of the ICRC’s activities.
The ICRC President was in Lagos on Sunday at a partnership development roundtable between the Nigerian Red Cross and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Maurer said, “With regard to the Chibok girls, really, in the interest of the issue itself, let me just be very general and explain to you what the ICRC’s role in such context is. And this is not something which relates to the Chibok girls.
“Basically, the ICRC does not negotiate these issues of hostage taking, issue of controversy between highly contrasting parties or religions. But if parties who have conflict have an agreement or are negotiating an agreement and they need the facilitation of the ICRC to execute that agreement and if it has a humanitarian impact, the ICRC is ready to play its role.
“We say the role of the good offices of the ICRC. So, we don’t negotiate; we help to execute the agreement because of our role as a neutral intermediary. It is in that role that 21 Chibok girls were handed over to us by the opposition Boko Haram armies to release to the government of Nigeria.”