File photo of Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari.
President Muhammadu Buhari told AFP Wednesday that Nigerian authorities were talking to Boko Haram prisoners in their custody and could offer them amnesty if the extremist group hands over more than 200 schoolgirls abducted last year.
The Nigerian leader added that he was confident "conventional" attacks by the group would be rooted out by November -- but cautioned that deadly suicide attacks were likely to continue.
"The few (prisoners) we are holding, we are trying to see whether we can negotiate with them for the release of the Chibok girls," Buhari said in an interview in Paris during a three-day visit to France.
"If the Boko Haram leadership eventually agrees to turn over the Chibok girls to us the complete number then we may decide to give them (the prisoners) amnesty.