The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it initiated the swap of kidnapped Chibok girls for Boko Haram prisoners in May 2014, a month after their abduction.
The opposition party, however, expressed dismay that a highly placed individual from Borno State scuttled the process.
Deputy National Chairman of the party, Cairo Ojuogboh, stated this in a press briefing in Abuja on Monday.
Recall that 276 female students from Government Secondary School Chibok, Borno State, were kidnapped by Boko Haram on the night of 14 to 15 April 2014.
The development which sparked global outrage, saw the release of 21 of the girls in October last year and another 82 female students at the weekend.
Ojuogboh who disclosed that he was part of a negotiation team to release the abducted girls in May 2014, also named other individuals to include a former Director of State Security Service, then Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, Chief Security Officer to former President Goodluck Jonathan and Shehu Sani, the lawmaker representing Kaduna Central in the National Assembly.
Ojuogboh urged the Federal Government to continue the process of negotiation and do whatever it takes to release the remaining girls.
“The PDP led by Ali Modu-Sheriff has welcomed the release of these girls and will continue to encourage the Federal Government to negotiate more and release the entire girls. In May 2014 we were to receive these girls, we had already committed every resources available, logistics were made but when we got to the negotiating point, the International Red Cross, myself and some lady doctors from SSS, we were disappointed. Somebody within Borno State got wind of the development and scuttled it,” Ojuogboh told journalists.
He, however, failed to name the Borno politician that scuttled the process.
He said when former President Goodluck Jonathan left office in May 29, 2015, the International Red Cross and the then Ambassador of Switzerland and his successor continued with the process.
He explained that Nigeria is not the first country to engage in swap deal, citing the United States of America, which also freed terrorists for its soldier.
The politician dismissed stories that PDP National Chairman Ali Modu-Sheriff is a sponsor of the terrorist group.
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