Nigerian president says "no prisoner swap for missing girls"

Abuja - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has ruled out freeing Boko Haram prisoners in exchange for the release of more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls, British minister Mark Simmonds said on Wednesday.

Africa minister Simmonds, in Nigeria for talks about the international rescue mission, said he raised the issue with Jonathan during a meeting in Abuja.

"I did discuss this with the president and he made it very clear that there will be no negotiation with Boko Haram that involves a swap of abducted schoolgirls for prisoners," he told reporters in the country's capital.