Kasala As Boko Haram Frees 21 Chibok School Girls

It was freedom at last yesterday for 21 secondary school girls who were abducted from Chibok Community in Borno State 30 months ago by Boko Haram.

President Muhammadu Buhari immediately pledged to secure ‘all Nigerians’ just as the release of the girls by the terrorists became a subject of controversy.

However, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Federal Ministry of Information, in their reactions to reports by the international media, said the Nigerian government did not enter a swap deal and gave nothing in exchange for the girls who were kidnapped while writing their Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE) in the Northeast’s Christian community.

Shortly before departing the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja yesterday for security talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, Buhari expressed delight over the release of the girls. “To Nigerians all over, it is our responsibility and we will continue to secure them wherever they are,” the President pledged.

There were speculations that some of the girls, who had long been converted to Islam and married off to their captors, could be pregnant, prompting assurances from Information Minister Lai Mohammed that adequate medical checks would be conducted. Photographs of some of the girls either betrayed pregnancy or showed they were already mothers.

The girls, as of last night, were still in the custody of Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS). The BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group celebrated the 21 girls and called for the release of the remaining 197 still in Boko Haram captivity.

The BBOG, in response to reports of the negotiated release, said the development confirmed its position on the capacity of government to rescue the Chibok girls.

“While awaiting further details, we take this opportunity to salute the work of our security services at the frontlines, the commitment, resilience and tireless efforts of our members of the Multinational Joint Task Force and the civilian JTF,” the group said.

No government official was willing to speak on record over the health status of the girls as Lai Mohammed disclosed that when they arrive in Abuja, they would undergo extensive examinations.