Nigerian Islamist militant group, Boko Haram today returned 105 girls kidnapped from a high school compound in Dapchi a few weeks ago. Sources tell newsmen that the militant group came with the girls in 9 vehicles same way they took them away.
There was confusion in the area as members of the community scampered into the bush as the terror group appeared in the area, first dropping off one the girls in a nearby village and then driving into the center of Dapchi town to drop off the rest of the girls.
Five of the girls are dead according to our source. It is not clear if the Nigerian government paid any ransom to get the girls released.
It cannot be ascertained if any ransom was paid by the federal government to secure the girls’ freedom.
Amharic M-grah, a Dapchi resident whose daughters were among the 110 abducted students, told pressmen that his children were brought back on Wednesday morning.
“The report is true. I have seen my two daughters who were kidnapped last month,” he said.
M-grah was among the people that spoke with newsmen during a trip to Dapchi in February. Back then, his wife said she had not slept for 10 days as a result of the kidnap.
Another resident said there is confusion in the town as many people are running out of fear.
“Boko Haram just returned the kidnapped girls this morning. They brought them back in the same set of vehicles which they used in conveying them last month,” the resident said.
“People are scared because they do not know what the insurgents are up to.”
A source said five of the girls died in captivity but newsmen verify this claim.
When contacted Jude Chukwu, army spokesman, promised to get back to pressmen.
“Let me find out. I’m working on an information from that area,” he said.
Last week, Mansur Dan Ali, minister of defence, said the girls would soon be reunited with their parents.
