Islamist militants of the Boko Haram group have released at least 80 school girls from a group of 276 they abducted in north-eastern Nigeria three years ago. The release reportedly came after talks with the government. The school girls were now in the custody of the Nigerian army.
They were brought by road from a remote area to an army base in Banki near the Cameroon border. A military source said the freed girls will be flown to Borno’s state capital of Maiduguri today. More than 100 girls are still missing.
Many of the Chibok girls were Christian, but were encouraged to convert to Islam and to marry their kidnappers during their time in captivity. The abduction of the so-called Chibok girls triggered a global outcry and sparked a huge social media campaign.