LAGOS
Nigeria on Saturday said that it had not given any specific dates or deadlines for the release of over 200 girls kidnapped more than six months ago by the militant Boko Haram movement.
"Neither the government nor the military said the girls would be released on Monday," presidential spokesman Doyin Okupe said.
"It is a wrong impression," he added on his Twitter account on Saturday.
Quoting unidentified sources, local Nigerian media reported that the girls might be released on Monday.
The presidential spokesman said, however, that clarification was necessary to prevent wrong messages in this regard from being sent.
Nigeria said on Friday it had reached ceasefire with Boko Haram.
Analysts, meanwhile, said that a ceasefire with the radical militant group – one that secures the release of the 200 girls whose kidnap had sparked global outrage – would be a big plus for Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan whose possible reelection next year is expected to be challenged by rampant insecurity in his country and the alleged corruption of his government.
Nigeria is due to hold its presidential elections in early 2015.
Boko Haram has waged a five-year insurgency in the northeastern region of Nigeria where more than 13,000 people, mostly civilians, have been massacred. The economy of the region was also brought down to its knees.
The group has been outlawed in Nigeria, Turkey and United States.
The Nigerian military last month announced the killing of a man who, according to it, had been mimicking the 'long dead' Abubakar Shekau, the erratic spiritual leader of the group.
Shekau, far more violent and ruthless, had succeeded Mohammed Yusuf, the man believed to have founded the group which claims to want to apply Islamic law (Shariah) across the northern region.
In April, the group made international headlines after it kidnapped over 200 schoolgirls from their dormitory in northeastern Borno state. Only 57 of the girls had managed to escape their kidnappers.
By Rafiu Ajakaye
www.aa.com.tr/en
