Nigeria’s Boko Haram extremists are offering to free more than 200 young girls kidnapped last year if the Nigerian government releases their held militant leaders, said a human rights activist told The Associated Press.
These girls were kidnapped from a boarding school in the town of Chibok last year.
The activist said Boko Haram’s current offer is limited to the girls from the school in northeastern Nigeria.
The mass abduction had ignited a worldwide outrage and a campaign to “Bring Back Our Girls” that reached the White House.
The new initiative reopens an offer made last year to the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan to release the 219 students in exchange for 16 Boko Haram detainees, the activist said.
Which Detainees Does Boko Haram Seek?
At the last minute, the agency said it was holding only four of the militants sought by Boko Haram, the anonymous activist said.
It is not known how many Boko Haram suspects are detained by Nigeria’s intelligence agency, whose chief Buhari fired last week.
The activist said the agency continues to hold suspects illegally because it does not have enough evidence for a conviction, and any court would free them.
Nigerian law requires charges be brought after 48 hours.
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