82 freed, 113 more Chibok Girls in Boko Haram captivity

Nigerian Islamist group has released 82 Chibok Girls in exchange for their militants held by the authorities.

The Nigerian government announced the release of the girls on Saturday with the support of local and international NGOs, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Swiss government.

“The released #ChibokGirls are due to arrive in Abuja tomorrow Sunday May 7, and will be received by the President,” the government added.

Until their release, 195 girls were estimated to be in the hands of the terrorist group led by Abubakar Shekau. There are 113 girls left with group.

The government has been negotiating the release of the girls since April 2014 when 276 girls were abducted after their school was raided in the northern town of Chibok.

Over 50 girls managed to escape at the time, leaving 219; and in May 2016, another girl escaped.

Later in October last year, 21 girls and a baby were released after negotiations facilitated by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government.

A girl was also found by Nigerian troops on January, 5, 2017 with a baby and confirmed to be one of the missing Chibok schoolgirls. Another girl was also rescued in the Sambisa forest where the group is based.

The release of the 82 comes a few weeks after marking three years since the girls were abducted.

They will be flown from the Borno state capital Maiduguri to Abuja on Sunday.