Rescued Chibok girls reunited with families

Abbuja [Nigeria], May21 (ANI): The dozens of Nigerian schoolgirls, who were released by Boko Haram militants on May 7 following a deal with the Nigerian authorities, have finally been reunited with their families. Authorities had taken the 82 freed Chibok girls to Abuja after their release earlier this month. The 82 girls were freed in return for the government releasing five Boko Haram commanders. Nigerian authorities have indicated they could make further exchanges to free the 113 abducted Chibok girls who are still missing. Eight-two Chibok schoolgirls, who were among the 276 kidnapped in 2014 from their school in Nigeria's Chibok faced lot of sufferings during their more than three years in captivity. A government official said that the consistent negotiations between the terrorist group Boko Haram and the Nigeria government resulted in the release of 82 girls. The scene of the reunion was tearful and emotional. The 82 girls released this month have been staying in facilities at the Department of State Services in the capital and were given medical and other checks in the weeks since their release, The Sputnik reported. Around 276 girls were kidnapped from the government Secondary School in the town of Chibok in Borno state in the middle of the night in April 2014, sparking a global campaign 'bringbackourgirls.' The campaign was supported by then U.S. First lady Michelle Obama. As many as 57 girls escaped within days after mass abduction. Another 21 Chibok girls were released in October 2016 in a deal brokered by Switzerland and the International Red Cross. President Muthammadu Buhari had said in a statement that his government is in constant negotiations with the Boko Haram group.(ANI)