Chibok schoolgirls in good condition, says Boko Haram spiritual leader

A man claiming to be a “Boko Haram’s spiritual teacher” has told the BBC World Service radio that the hundreds of girls abducted in Chibok on April 15 are “feeding very well” and in “good state of health.”

The man, who had his voice disguised in the interview, also said that although most of the Christians among the girls had been converted to Islam, those who objected were not forced.

However, he reiterated the sect’s previous position that unless the Federal Government frees members of the sect imprisoned in government facilities, the Chibok schoolgirls would not be released.

He said: “I joined the group in 2004. We are pushing for a Sharia state. We want the Nigerian government to release our members. If they release our members today, we will release the girls tomorrow. You will see all of them as Abubakar Shekau, our leader, promised the media.

“Those who agreed to convert to Islam have been converted and those who refused have been left alone. There is no forced conversion in Islam.

“Allah commands us to treat everyone equally. We are not discriminating against them; we treat all of them equally. They all are healthy. They feed well.

“Under Islam, killing women and children is not acceptable. But if they are fighting you, then you must fight them. But if they do not attack you, you leave them. We only go after those who give information to our enemy.”

The report of the positive condition of the girls comes a day after coordinator of the National Information Centre, Mike Omeri, said the abducted girls were close to regaining their freedom, as security agents have been obtaining useful information from the arrested chief intelligence officer of Boko Haram.