1st LD-Writethru: Nigerian president meets released Dapchi schoolgirls

LAGOS, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday received over 100 Dapchi girls recently released by Boko Haram abductors.

The Nigerian leader also appealed to the parents of the Chibok girls yet to be released not to lose hope as efforts were being intensified to ensure their release.

He spoke at a reception in Abuja, the country's capital, organized for over 100 girls and another boy freed by the insurgents.

A total of 110 girls were abducted from an all-girl college in the northeastern town of Dapchi on Feb. 19 by Boko Haram.

Previous reports said 104 of the schoolgirls were brought back on Wednesday following a negotiation. Another girl and a boy were also freed along with the 104 schoolgirls.

The president emphasized his government's determination to fight terrorism and insurgency.

He said security services had since been directed to put in measures in all schools vulnerable to attack to ensure the security of students, teachers and school workers.

Buhari also said he had tasked all the security agencies to ensure that the country would not witness recurrence of such incidents. Enditem