Latest Boko Haram Video:Conflicting Signals From FG On Demands

There were however no clear  signs  on whether the Federal Government would honour the condition given by the Boko Haram sect  or  not on its latest video.

While the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, ruled out the possibility of meeting the demand, his Information counterpart, Labaran Maku, said it was not what the government would give immediate  response to.

Moro, in a chat with    the  British Broadcasting Corporation,  said that it was “absurd” for a “terrorist group” to try to set conditions.

But  Maku  said,   “I have not watched the video as I am talking to you. You will also agree with me that our reaction to the matter cannot be spontaneous.”

Also on Monday, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri,said the government   would explore all options to secure the release of the   girls.

Omeri, who coordinated an interagency  news conference in Abuja, said,    “There was a video purported to have been released by the Boko Haram leader. Security experts are studying the video.

“The government of Nigeria is going to explore all options to secure the release of the abducted girls.

“An earlier report  by a section of the media purported to have been issued by the government is totally false. This remains the official position of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

Pressed several times to confirm whether the Federal Government was going to negotiate with the Boko Haram insurgents or exchange prisoners for the girls, he insisted that all options were open to the  government.

“I still say  all options are open. At the moment, all options are open. We are interacting with military and security experts from different parts of the world. So these are part of the options that are left for us. There are many more. If it is necessary that we use any action to get our girls, we will do it.

However, Director of Information at the Department State Security, Ms. Marylyn Ogar, ruled out any negotiation with  the terrorists.

“No government in the world will negotiate with terrorists. That is the best practice and we believe in the global best practice,” she said.

On the identity of the spokesperson for Boko Haram on the released video, Ogar insisted that original leaders of the group, Abu Kaka and   Shekau, had been “taken out” by the security agencies.

“I think we have said on several occasions that Boko Haram has become a franchise. So when you talk about Abu Kaka; when you talk about Shekau, Boko Haram has become a franchise. Anybody anywhere in the country can get up and assume Shekau and Kaka.   Kaka is no more. Abubakar Shekau is no more.

“Both of them have been taken out a long time ago.”