The federal government may have indicated its desire to negotiate with the Boko Haram sect but will not stop the military in its fight against the insurgents.
According to the defence headquarters spokesperson Brigadier-General Rabe Abubakar, “Any effort (for negotiation) would not deter us from doing our work. And we are doing everything possible to bring this fight to an end,” he said.
He said the military’s main preoccupation is to save the country and bring the insurgency to an end even when such discussions were opened by the federal government.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on Wednesday, during his maiden media chat, said the federal government was ready to discuss with “credible leadership” of the Boko Haram.
Rabe, who spoke with BBC Hausa service yesterday, said there was no failure from the military in the inability to either locate or save the Chibok girls.
“We have not failed. The Nigerian Army and the Air Force are putting in their best to release every person from the hands of Boko Haram.
“Recently, we saved hundreds of people from the Boko Haram. I assure Nigerians that since we were able to save those numbers, we would, by the Grace of God, save Chibok and others, from the hands of Boko Haram, as this fight continues,” he said.
He also said, “fact that we could not yet establish intelligence on the Chibok girls does not mean we are sleeping.”