The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said contrary to insinuations, there was no prisoner swap deal between the federal government and terrorists to release the remaining 23 Abuja-Kaduna train passengers.
Director of defence information, Major General Jimmy Akpor, told LEADERSHIP in Abuja yesterday that there was no swap deal, adding that elements of national power, both kinetic and non-kinetic, were deployed to secure the release of the train passengers.
The terrorists on October 5 released the remaining 23 passengers of the train.
A Twitter trend over the weekend however, alleged that 101 Boko Haram terrorists were released from the Kirikiri Prison to secure the release of the train passengers who were abducted on March 28, 2022.
The release came after six months, eight days in the terrorists’ captivity where they were tortured and subjected to dehumanising treatment.
The unverified Twitter handle said; “At exactly 6am today, 8 of October 2022, about 101 Boko Haram terrorists held in Kirikiri Prison since 2009 were set free in what the government called amnesty by my investigation revealed otherwise. It is actually a prisoner swap demanded by Boko Haram in exchange for the remaining 23 Kaduna train passengers kidnapped by the sect on the 28 of March 2022.”
But Major General Akpor when contacted, said; “Whatever we know we have told you, it was a high powered committee that was set up so whoever is saying that is on his own. Like I told, you the nation is a powerful entity that has so many elements of national power to achieve national objectives. There is diplomacy, of course the military is one for kinetic activities, there is economic, even the population is part of the elements of national power. Whatever they want to believe, let them believe, the most important thing is that hostages have been freed. Whoever is insinuating anything to the contrary is on his own. The nation has carried out its responsibility towards those that were held captive. Whoever wants to insinuate anything let him do and of what use is that to the nation, of what use is that to the national psyche?”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Correctional Service has remained mum on the allegation.
When LEADERSHIP Sunday contacted the national spokesman of the service, Abubakar Umar, he said; “ I will make inquiries and get back to you once I have been briefed.”
When also contacted, the image maker of the Lagos State command of the correctional service, Rotimi Oladokun, dismissed the claims, saying, “I am not aware of such incident, kindly channel your enquiry to the national public relations officer at the headquarter in Abuja.”
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