The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment towards the freedom of the remaining 113 Chibok girls still held in Boko Haram’s detention.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that 82 of the girls were safely returned to the Nigerian Government on Saturday following the exchange of some suspected Boko Haram members imprisoned by the government.
However, an anonymous presidency source who confided in TheNewsGuru.com, said: “Further negotiations with Boko Haram to continue this week towards the release of more girls. The Swiss government, the Red Cross and Amnesty International are involved.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that like the last batch that was released, subsequent releases might also be based on the prisoner exchange agreement.
However, opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has condemned the prisoners exchange approach of the Federal Government to freeing the Chibok girls saying it jeopardizes efforts of the military who had fought hard at the expense of their lives to capture the insurgents who have continually pose themselves as enemies of the people.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that after their abduction in 2014, a number of the girls escaped after which Boko Haram freed 21 last October, after negotiations with the Red Cross.
However, President Muhammadu Buhari in April said the government remained “in constant touch through negotiations, through local intelligence to secure the release of the remaining girls and other abducted persons unharmed”.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that Boko Haram has kidnapped thousands of women and children, including more than 200 schoolgirls from the Borno town of Chibok in 2014.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that the convener of the Bring Back Our Girls #BBOG, Oby Ezekwesili who has been in the vanguard of the release of the remaining Chibok girls described the new release as “a heartwarming development” while also urging the federal government on the need to double up efforts to secure the release of the remaining 113 in the Boko Haram den.