Yesterday, Boko Haram militants handed over 21 Chibok schoolgirls to authorities after a series of negotiations. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Swiss government brokered the deal between the Islamist militant group and the Nigerian government, said Mallam Garba Shehu, spokesman for Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. Some confirmatory tweets from the ICRC are below:
1/2 Today we transferred 21 of the #Chibokgirls and handed them to the #Nigeria government authorities, acting as a neutral intermediary.
— ICRC Africa (@ICRC_Africa) October 13, 2016
2/2 We cannot provide any further comment at this stage in the best interest of the girls concerned #Chibokgirls #Nigeria
— ICRC Africa (@ICRC_Africa) October 13, 2016
The 21 were freed before dawn in the northeastern Nigerian town of Banki, near the border with Cameroon.
They are said to have been among the 276 girls and women, ages 16 to 18, that Boko Haram militants herded from bed in the middle of the night at a boarding school in Chibok in April 2014 — a kidnapping that spurred global outrage. Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan joined in welcoming the girls in abuja.
The 21 released #ChibokGirls arrived Abuja, presently at the Villa with Vice President @ProfOsinbajo pic.twitter.com/RiOcmU0AxF
— Sen. Jummai Alhassan (@SenAishaAlhassn) October 13, 2016
They are said to have been among the 276 girls and women, ages 16 to 18, that Boko Haram militants herded from bed in the middle of the night at a boarding school in Chibok in April 2014 — a kidnapping that spurred global outrage.
Story culled from CNN