Nigerian Dapchi schoolgirls abducted in February 19, 2018 suddenly released by their militant abductors

ICMS, Inc Reports
By Tom Okure, Ph.D

Picture of released abducted girls:
Courtesy: Reuters/Reuters/Ola Lanre

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According to Nigeria’s Ministry of Information, “back channel efforts” by the federal government has resulted in the sudden release of 76 of the 110 Dapchi schoolgirls abducted from their boarding school on the evening of Monday, February 19 2018, by a militant group who attacked the town of Dapchi in Yobe State.

One of the schoolgirl’s parent who spoke to a BBC correspondent by name Kundili Bukar said the militants believed to be Boko Haram “drove into the town in a motorcade in the early hours of Wednesday morning and surrendered the girls to the community.” The militants departed immediately they released the girls who were alleged to look tired and fatigued from their ordeal.

Dapchi schoolgirls are pictured in Jumbam village Yobe State after their release look tired and fatigued from their ordeal.

One may recall that President Muhammadu Buhari was very frustrated with the announcement of the kidnappings in February and declared it a "national disaster" and expressed his regrets to the parents of the girls' on 12 March noting the government would negotiate with the militants carefully in order to ensure the peaceful release the girls without resorting to military action. Speaking to the press at the time President Buhari sated "We are trying to be careful. It is better to get our daughters back alive."

Nigerian Minister of Information Lai Mohammed

In a government statement by the minister of information Lai Mohammed today, he said "The government had a clear understanding that violence and confrontation would not be the way out as it could endanger the lives of the girls," Nine of the girls abducted are confirmed to be dead according to the Nigerian government in its press statement on the matter.

The release of the girls comes about one week from the date President Muhammadu Buhari visited the Dapchi school, during which time he met with the girl’s parents and reaffirmed government efforts to secure the immediate release of their children.

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Links to read more:

More than half of kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls freed, official says

Kidnapped Dapchi schoolgirls freed in Nigeria