Nigeria’s ex-president holds talks to free girls

LAGOS: Nigeria’s former president Olusegun Obasanjo has met people close to the extremist group Boko Haram in an attempt to broker the release of more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls, a source told AFP on Tuesday. Reports of the talks emerged as Boko Haram was blamed for fresh attacks on the security forces, public buildings and a school in its stronghold. Cameroon also said it had begun deploying 3,000 extra troops to buttress its border with Nigeria against the threat posed by marauding militants. On Monday evening, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh said the 223 girls still missing had been located but cast doubt on the prospect of any rescue by force. The talks last weekend at Obasanjo’s farm in Ogun state included relatives of senior fighters, intermediaries and the former president, the source said. Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2014