The Federal Government has confirmed the release of 21 abducted Chibok Girls, this is according to a statement released moments ago by the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity), Garba Shehu.
He stated that the released school girls are in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS.
Shehu said that the Director-General of DSS, Malam LAWAL Daura has just briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter.
“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,” he added.
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.
The statement stated that the names of the released girls follows shortly.
CNN reports that a government official says no Boko Haram fighter was exchanged for the released Chibok girls.
Meanwhile, Sahara Reporters have it that 18 of the 21 freed Chibok girls are nursing mothers. This we cannot confirm independently.
Read below our earlier story…..
No fewer than 21 abducted Chibok school girls were released on Thursday morning by the Boko Haram group to the Nigerian Government, this is according to Sahara Reporters and BBC reports.
WuzupNaija recalls that the Islamic sect had in April, 2014 kidnapped over 200 girls from their dormitory in Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.
According to SaharaReporters, 21 of the abducted girls were picked up by Nigerian military helicopter from Banki area of the state where the terrorist group dropped them off earlier today.
The BBC also reported that a senior government official in Nigeria has confirmed the report.
However, it is not yet clear how the girls were rescued. And as at the time of writing this report, the FG or the Nigerian military authority is yet to release a statement on the matter.
You can check back for updates as we keep monitoring this developing story.
Until now only one girl had been rescued.
A vigilante group found Amina Ali Nkeki in May with her suspected militant husband and her new baby.
The Nigerian military is currently carrying a large-scale operation in the Sambisa forest, Boko Haram’s stronghold.
