Remaining Chibok girls to be released soon, Buhari promises

The remaining Chibok schoolgirls still in Boko Haram captivity will be released soon, according to President Muhammadu Buhari.

He made the promise on Thursday at the book presentation entitled: ‘Making Steady, Sustainable Progressive for Nigeria’s Peace and Prosperity: A mid-term scorecard on the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration.’

“During the year it was my great pleasure to secure the release of 102 Chibok school girls. We are doing our best quietly and effectively as possible to get the rest released,” Buhari said.

“We are working day and night with our international partners to release the remaining girls as soon as possible, as well as women and children still on captivity.”

He also reaffirmed his commitment to improve security, fight corruption and restructure the economy.

“On the current issues on herdsmen/farmers clashes, kidnapping and armed robberies within the confines of our limited resources, we are giving top priority to security,” he said.

Parents of the schoolgirls, abducted since April 2014, recently expressed sadness over Buhari’s “silence” on the fate of their daughters.

In a letter written to the president, the parents lamented that 20 of them have died while waiting for the return of the girls.

Boko Haram insurgents abducted 276 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno state.

The sect released 82 of the girls in May 2016, following a prisoner-swap deal with the federal government. Five months later, 21 girls were also freed.

Subsequently, the government promised that more girls would regain freedom.