No Ransom to be paid for missing girls – FG

The Federal Government has stated that there would be no ransom paid for the missing school girls abducted from Chibok on April 14th.

The position of the Jonathan administration was made known by Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati.

Abati said,  “The Federal Government is not going to engage in any form of selling human beings. The sale of any human being is an assault on the dignity of that human being.

“Slavery is one of the major crimes against humanity in the UN Conventions. There will be no amount of provocation that will push the Federal Government of Nigeria to engage in anything that is remotely associated to the promotion of slavery.

“The position of the Federal Government is that even if Boko Haram goes ahead with its threat to sell human beings, whoever buys such human beings will be held culpable for promoting slavery.

“What we are dealing with and which must be stressed is that when there is a crime against humanity, the whole world must come together to condemn that crime.

“The question of turning human beings into merchandise and that being supported by government should be ruled out. I don’t think that will happen.

“But government of course will do everything within its capacity to ensure that the girls are brought back to safety. But turning them into items of merchandise is not part of the strategy at this time.”