Released Dapchi Schoolgirls Moved to Abuja

Segun Atanda/

The 104 Dapchi schoolgirls released by Boko Haram insurgents on Wednesday have been moved to Abuja.

NAN reports that that the released girls, alongside their parents and some aid workers, boarded a Nigerian Air Force aircraft at about 18.50 pm.

This was shortly after the released girls were handed over to a delegation of the Federal Government led by the information minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Maiduguri.

The Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, presented the released girls to the delegation, at the 105 Air Force Composite Command, Maiduguri.

Nicholas explained that 104 girls were part of the 110 abducted from Dapchi, while the two other girls were rescued from the insurgents by troops.

Other members of the delegation include, Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau; Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Khadija Bukar-Abba and Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

Mohammed had earlier told journalists in Abuja that 76 of the abducted schoolgirls were released.

He said the release was “unconditional” and the result of “back-channel efforts” with the help of “some friends of the country”, without elaborating.

“The 76 are those who have been documented so far,” he said, adding that they were released at about 3:00 am (0200 GMT) and that a full head-count was under way.

Mohammed further stated: “For the release to work, the government had a clear understanding that violence and confrontation would not be the way out as it could endanger the lives of the girls, hence a non-violent approach was the preferred option.

“Within the period when the girls were being brought back, (an) operational pause was observed in certain areas to ensure free passage and also that lives were not lost.”

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