Roundup: Nigerians welcome release of abducted school girls by Boko Haram

LAGOS, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Nigerians have welcomed the release of over 100 abducted Dapchi school girls in the restive northeastern Yobe State.

The Nigerian government on Wednesday announced the release of girls who were abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents at Government Science and Technical School in the northeastern town of Dapchi on Feb. 19.

According to the latest update by the government, the number of school girls released Wednesday by terror group Boko Haram after their abduction last month has increased to 101. A total of 110 schoolgirls from the school were abducted.

Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed gave the update in a statement, saying the number could still increase as security agencies had commenced the profiling of the freed schoolgirls.

Authorities said no ransom was paid to secure the release of school girls. The girls released were dropped off in Dapchi town at 3 a.m. on Wednesday, and not handed over to anyone.

The release of the schoolgirls was the outcome of the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to all security agencies to do everything possible to secure the release of the schoolgirls, the government said.

Nigerians interviewed by Xinhua expressed on Wednesday their happiness over the development and urged the government to take more concrete steps to avoid further abduction.

Aisha Wakil, a human rights activist, expressed joy over the release of the Dapchi school girls from Boko Haram captivity.

Wakil, who is also known as Mama Boko Haram, was a member of the Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges Committee in the northern region.

Early this month, the human rights activist claimed a Boko Haram faction had contacted her to confirm it has the girls.

The activist said the Barnawi faction of Boko Haram contacted and confirmed to her that the girls were safe, healthy and in good condition.

She had called on the abductors to release the girls to enable them to be reunited with their families.

She commended the government and other parties who contributed to the development, and expressed hope that the remaining girls as well as Chibok girls would also be released soon.

Also, Bashir Manzo, Chairman of the Parents Association of Dapchi Abducted Girls, said they were happy over the development.

Manzo disclosed that they were currently taking head count of the girls, adding most of them had returned to their homes.

Similarly, Maina Musa and Ayuba Alamson, parents of abducted Chibok school girls, expressed joy over the development.

They, however, tasked the government to secure the release of the remaining school girls in insurgents' captivity.

Muhammad Ibrahim, a spokesperson for the Arewa Consultative Forum, described the release of the abducted Dapchi school girls as a reassuring development and commended the government for the effort.

He called on the military and other security agencies to sustain the synergy and fast track the search and rescue of the remaining Chibok school girls kidnapped four years ago.

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered four ministers to proceed to Dapchi in Yobe for update on the release of the female students abducted in February. Enditem