The Presidency has confirmed that Boko Haram insurgents have released 21 of the more than 200 abducted Chibok Schoolgirls.
According to the Senior Special Adviser Media to the President, Malam Garba Shehu, the girls are now in the custody of the Directorate of State Services (DSS).
Shehu confirmed the release of the schoolgirls through his twitter handle, yesterday.
The release of the 21 girls coincides with President Muhammadu Buhari’s three-day trip to Germany.
More than 270 girls were abducted on 14th April, 2014 at the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.
The girls were writing their final exit examination when the insurgents broke into their hostel in the middle of the night and abducted the girls. Some of them escaped, leaving more than 219 with the insurgents.
The government had accepted to negotiate the release of the schoolgirls.
The abduction had provoked world’s outrage.
However, there are indications that majority of the 21 Chibok girls freed, yesterday, may be pregnant.
Reliable DSS sources said that though it was difficult to ascertain just by mere observation, officials at the Air Force hospital had hinted that many of the girls returned with pregnancy.
Even though their status cannot be immediately verified, the source estimated that, “at least, 18 of the 21 of are pregnant.”
The degraded Boko Haram group had, yesterday, dropped off 21 of the girls at the Banki area of the state and it was learnt that the girls were picked up by military helicopter.
The Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, had confirmed the release of the 21 girls, saying the release of the girls, in a limited number was the outcome of negotiations between the administration and the Boko Haram.
As at the time of filing this report, the released girls were currently on their way to Abuja by air from the Air Force base in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Reacting, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, expressed delight over the release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls by the Boko Haram sect.
The president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said this in his twitter handle.
He stated that the president, however, cautioned “Nigerians to be mindful of the fact that more than 30,000 fellow citizens were killed via terrorism.’’
According to him, the release of the girls, in a limited number, is the outcome of negotiations between the Federal Government and the Boko Haram, brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss Government.
He said that the negotiations would continue.
He said the released girls would soon be handed over to Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo by the DSS.
More than 200 female students were kidnapped on April 14, 2014 from the Government Secondary School in Chibok town, Borno.
There were reports that 57 of the schoolgirls managed to escape over the next few months and some have described their capture in appearances at international human rights conferences.
Also, the Federal Government, yesterday, dismissed reports that it swapped four high profile Boko Haram prisoners to effect the release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, during a news conference in Abuja.
A popular online platform, had yesterday, reported that the government swapped four high profile Boko Haram detained commanders for the release of the abducted Chibok school girls.
But Mohammed while dismissing the report said, “Please, note that this is not a swap, but a release.
“People want to believe bad news than good news. The girls were released, there was no swap.”ý
According to Mohammed, a team of medical doctors, social workers and psychologists have been assembled to examine the girls when they arrive in Abuja.
A statement by the Director-General of DSS, Malam Lawal Daura, had indicated that President Muhammadu Buhari had been briefed on the matter before his departure for Germany.
It said: “The release of the girls, in a limited number is the outcome of negotiations between the administration and the Boko Haram brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government. The negotiations will continue.”
The President welcomes the release of the girls but cautioned Nigerians to be mindful of the fact that more than 30,000 fellow citizens were killed via terrorism.
Malam Lawal wants the girls to have some rest, with all of them very tired coming out of the process before he hands them over to the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
Following, yesterday’s release of 21 out of the 218 Chibok school girls abducted by the terrorist Boko Haram group in Nigeria, the former minister of education, and leading voice on the global #Bring Back Our Girls campaign (#BBOG), Oby Ezekwesili, has expressed gratitude to God and equally thanked both the President Muhammadu Buhari and the gallant Nigerian soldiers for seeing to the safe release of the girls.
Ezekwesili, who took to the social media to express her joy over the release of the girls, said her mood was that of weeping, a cry that is an admixture of multiple emotions.
Calling on all Nigerians and the world to join voices with the Psalmist’s song of 126 in thanking God, she said at 4am in California, she could not sleep again because of joy.
“I can only weep, right now. You know that kind of cry that is a mix of multiple emotions. Lord. Some of OUR Girls ARE BACK!!! B. A. C. K.!!” “As WE @BBOG_Nigeria wait for FG and #ChibokParents identification of OUR 21 #ChibokGirls, Thank You, Lord. Thank You, @MBuhari .Thank you.
“It is 4am in California and I can no longer sleep. Join me in singing the words of Psalm126… When the Lord turned again the Captivity…”
She also said it was a thing of joy that the number of the abducted girls has now reduced from 218 to 197.
The released girls were among the 219 students stolen from their dormitory bed in Chibok community, Borno State on April 14, 2014.
The Chibok girls were exchanged for four Boko Haram prisoners in Banki, an official of the Ministry of Information said.
The girls were exchanged for four Boko Haram prisoners in Banki, North-East Nigeria, said a local source.
A government official said the ‘insurgents released the 21 Chibok girls to the Nigerian government’.
Other sources revealed that the Chibok girls were rescued in Banki area of Borno State where Boko Haram militants had left them, yesterday by military helicopter.