FG swaps 82 Chibok girls with Boko Haram prisoners

The Presidency on Saturday said security agencies secured the release of 82 Chibok girls in exchange for some Boko Haram prisoners.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Saturday night.

Shehu said President Muhammadu Buhari was scheduled to formally receive the freed  girls in Abuja on Sunday.

The statement read, “The President is pleased to announce that negotiations to release more of the Chibok Girls have born fruit with the release of 82 more girls today.

“After months of patient negotiations, our security agencies have taken back these abducted girls in exchange for some Boko Haram suspects held by the authorities.

“The girls are due tomorrow (Sunday) in Abuja to be received by the President.

“The President expressed his deep gratitude to security agencies, the military, the government of Switzerland, the Red Cross, local and international NGOs for the success of this operation.

“It may be recalled that when the first batch of 21 Girls were released in October last year, the President directed the security agencies to continue in earnest until all the Chibok Girls have been released and reunited with their families.

“The President has been receiving full reports from the Director-General of the State Security Services at each stage of the process.”

Sources from the Nigerian Air Force on Saturday also confirmed that Boko Haram terrorists released about 82 Chibok girls, who are presently in Banki, Borno.