Buhari promises support for freed Chibok girls

In this photo released by the Nigeria State House, Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari, centre, meets with Chibok school girls recently freed from Nigeria Extremist captivity in Abuja, Nigeria, Sunday, Ma.

Nigeria's government says the release of 82 Chibok schoolgirls who had been kidnapped three years ago by Boko Haram came in exchange for "some Boko Haram suspects held by the authorities".

"We've always made it clear that we will do everything in our power to ensure the freedom & safe return of our daughters" and all captives of Boko Haram, Buhari said on his Twitter account.

A few others have escaped or been rescued, and 113 of the girls are believed to be still held in captivity by Boko Haram. It is feared that other girls were strapped with explosives and sent on missions as suicide bombers.

ICRC had played a similar role previous year October, when Nigeria got the first batch of 21 Chibok girls released.

An advocacy group, #BringBackOurGirls, that has been working toward their rescue said it is "exceedingly delighted" at the release of 82 of the girls who had remained missing since the mass abduction in April 2017.

Ezeemo told newsmen in Enugu yesterday, that the release would help to check the emotional trauma the parents of the released girls might be facing for over three years. This is a very very good and exciting news.

In exchange for their release, five detained and suspected commanders of Boko Haram were freed, according to the Nigerian government.

Reacting in a statement on Sunday, Aisha Yesufu and Oby Ezekwesili, conveners of BBOG, while describing the release of the girls as a "heartwarming development", reminded the federal government on the need to double up efforts to secure the release of the remaining 113 in the Boko Haram den.

The girls will be received by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Sunday, a statement was quoted as saying by BBC.

The group representing the families of the girls said they were awaiting confirmation on how many had been released.

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 teenaged girls who were preparing to sit high school exams. Boko Haram has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, and has increasingly carried out attacks in neighboring countries.

The militants have killed more than 20,000 people and displaced more than 2 million during their insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic caliphate in northeast Nigeria.