The former mediator of the group told
newsmen that he believes the video, where Boko Haram leader, Abubakar
Shekau threatens to sell the girls as slaves, shows he plans to use them
as ‘bargaining chips’ rather than kill them. He said the footage,
released on Monday, was an attempt to persuade the Nigerian government
into a prisoner trade.
He told the newspaper: “From my knowledge
of the group, to have him saying that he will sell them is proof that
this issue can be resolved. The group is most likely to want to attach
some kind of conditions to the girls being released, such as the freeing
of some of their own prisoners.”
In the video, the Boko Haram leader is seen
dressed in combat fatigues standing in front of an armoured personnel
carrier and two pick-up trucks mounted with sub-machine guns. He then
declares: “I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market, by
Allah.” Shekau then takes a swipe at democracy, Western education,
efforts for Muslims and Christians to live in peace and rails against
non-believers in Islam.
Nigerian Police are now offering a £300,000
reward to anyone who can help them find the missing children. The
director of Special Forces has told the Foreign Office that UK personnel
could support the Nigerian armed forces with drones, intelligence,
military planning or even join a rescue. However, top brass are
reluctant to take part in a raid after the botched SBS mission in which
British construction worker Chris McManus, 28, was executed by his
Nigerian kidnappers in March 2012. The White House has also branded the
kidnapping an ‘outrage and tragedy’ and the State Department said the US
would send a ‘co-ordination cell’ including military personnel and law
experts to Nigeria
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