After what seem to be impossible and difficult to achieve, 21 out of over 200 girls that were abducted in 2014 have been rescued.
The Senior Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu confirmed that 21 of the missing Chibok Girls have been released and are in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS.
“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,” a statement issued by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said.
He said the talks will continue.
Separately, officials briefed about the deal that the girls were swapped for four Boko Haram insurgents. Names of the militants were not released.
Boko Haram demanded the release of its members held by the government, as condition for freeing the girls.
The officials said that the exchange took place Wednesday night when Nigerian military officials, alongside personnel of United Nations, Red Cross and National Emergency Management Agency, conveyed four Boko Haram militants by a chopper to Banki, a border town in Bama local government area of Borno State.
There, 21 released girls were picked up. The girls were brought into Maiduguri Air Force base at about 8.30a.m.
A source said most of the girls had babies.
They were immediately flown to Abuja at 9a.m.
Many residents of Maiduguri were woken by the sounds of aircraft hovering in the air Thursday morning.
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