CDSAC denies Boko Haram prisoners swap for release of 23 train passengers
The Chief of Defence Staff Action Committee (CDSAC) responsible for the release of the remaining 23 train passengers from the captivity of terrorists has debunked claims that their freedom was a result of detained Boko Haram insurgents’ swap.
Besides, the Secretary of CDSAC, Professor Usman Yusuf also denied ever making comments connecting the release of the 23 Kaduna-Abuja train victims to the 101 Boko Haram detained at the Maximum prison, Kirikiri Lagos.
He spoke in an interview on Arise television where he debunked claims that the Federal Government struck a deal with terrorists over the swap of the Boko Haram detained prisoners.
Professor Yusuf said that” the claim that the release of the 23 train victims was a prison swap with Boko Haram detainees is false and dubious”, saying that “some dubious persons sent the report all over the world”.
According to Yusuf, who was the former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), “it is falsehood, it has nothing to do with our committee and it has nothing to do with the released 23 train victims”.
He remarked that the apparent blackmail of the committee will not deter the members to pursue its avow mission to fight for the eradication of insecurity and the challenges facing the country, adding, “it will not stop the military from doing the job”.
Stressing that the Chief of Defence Staff Committee is made up of retired Generals, Diplomats and academics who volunteered to pursue peace and also meet the terrorists, argued that “the mission cannot be undertaken without the support of the military”.
“I urge all Nigerians to play their parts and do their bits under this security challenges. Let the criticisms of our military be done with compassion”, Professor Yusuf added.
Speaking on the circumstances leading to the freedom of the 23 train victims, Yusuf stressed further that “the military took charge; it is essentially a military operation and the milatry gave us the enabling environment to talk, that is how negotiation happened”.
“Our goal is how to secure peace, how can we stop all the attacks…our phase two will be an intensed one. We shall put on the table what are the grievances of these people.”
