Many Nigerian schoolgirls who were among more than 200 kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 have been released.
“I can confirm they have been released,” said a senior government minister, who asked not to be identified, adding that an official statement would be released later. A military and a civilian militia source in Banki, near the border with Cameroon, said “at least 80” girls were brought to the town late afternoon on Saturday.
“The girls are now lodged in the military barracks and will be flown to (the Borno state capital) Maiduguri tomorrow (Sunday),” said the military source. The civilian militia member gave an identical account.
Enoch Mark, a Christian pastor whose two daughters were among those kidnapped, said he was told of the release by the Bring Back Our Girls pressure group and an official in Maiduguri.
He added: “This is good news to us. We have been waiting for this day.
We hope the remaining girls will soon be released.” Bring Back Our Girls said it was awaiting an official statement but added: “Our hopes and expectations are high as we look forward to this news being true and confirmed.”
Boko Haram fighters stormed the Government Girls Secondary School in the remote town of Chibok on the evening of April 14, 2014 and kidnapped 276 girls. Fifty-seven managed to escape in the hours that followed but the remaining 219 were held by the group.
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau claimed in a video message that they had converted to Islam. The audacious kidnapping brought the insurgency to world attention, triggering global outrage that galvanised support from the former US first lady Michelle Obama and Hollywood stars.
Twenty-one girls were released in October last year after negotiations between Boko Haram and the Nigerian government brokered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Swiss government.
Three others were also found.
At the time of the release of the 21, President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesman Garba Shehu said the government was hoping to secure the release of 83 others being held by a different Boko Haram faction.
Last month he said in a radio interview that there were ongoing negotiations involving “some foreign entities” to release the 195 girls believed still held.
He told BBC Hausa the ICRC and Swiss government “have not withdrawn their support in the negotiations”. Other countries were also involved, he added, without elaborating. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Apc need this as they are becoming unpopular and they also need to steer away our attention. Something does not make sense here
ReplyDeleteTrust nigerians, some will still see this as politics and not for the good of it: let put hate aside for once.
DeleteI an unequevocally convinced that this APC Government is fake and nothing but fake. Looking for something to distract people's attention from Buhari's health issue, they came up with this forgotten stuff to stir up politics and get people busy...They have forgotten that you can't fool people all the time. Well,as events are unfolding...
ReplyDeleteSome will die in their hate and frustration because of Buhari
DeleteThis is hard to believe. That the girls are still kept together is a huge joke. What about those that have been forcefully married to the terrorists? It's all game of fold our arms and look on.
ReplyDeleteBlame Jonathaa who started the game and not the person trying to end
DeleteHow did Jonathan start the game.
DeleteHe started the game for him to lose election Abi? What a set of religious fanatics
It only tells you all that Nigerians are fools. You all cant stand for your rights. Buhari is a Joke of the century
ReplyDeleteDonkey president.
Includimg your father and mother: if you called him a donkey president, he is riding on all of you; the haters
DeleteJust as you are donkey basket mouth. What the person you admired is unable and handicapped to do it PMB has done it so, it's inching you, but you can't change the history of the incident
ReplyDeleteWho released these girls? Is it the Abubakar Shekau-led boko haram that government claimed was seriously wounded and are no longer in Sambisa forest or the government boko haram? Pls, I need answers. Anyway, I'm happy for the girls.
ReplyDeleteWho released these girls? Is it the Abubakar Shekau-led boko haram that government claimed was seriously wounded and are no longer in Sambisa forest or the government boko haram? Pls, I need answers. Anyway, I'm happy for the girls.
ReplyDeleteThey were released you, Boko haram collaborators
DeleteThese are the people who didn't even agree of the kidnapping of the girls is now agreed and want to know who released them. I doubt even if you tell them they will believe it
ReplyDeleteSomeone should give this film a title.
ReplyDeleteBoko girl's. Season 9
ReplyDeleteThe worst thing is that most of these commentators had never gone out of their region across Niger to see how North East look like. So may not blame you at all. If majority of this girls are not christains, this people would have swiftly said it was all APC children donated for political game.
ReplyDeletePastor Enoch Mark is praying vehemently to have his children among this eighty while his christain brothers are down Southern Nigeria saying it is just a film show.
BuhariBokoGirls season 3. Idiots Hausa-Fulanis, U and Ur kidnapped ChiBok girls. Continue to fool Kolapo Olanrewaju, Zali and thousands of blood sucking Almajiris all over Northern Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteI bet if the govt. Presents a man and told people like Olarenwaju and Msheliza that d man is their father, the two fools would agree easily. It's unfortunate that at ur old age both of u can't even think or reason well. I pity ur children. They will definitely inherit dull brain from U guys.
ReplyDelete