TheCable

The federal government says 105 of the 110 abducted Dapchi schoolgirls have been confirmed released after further documentation was carried out by security agencies.

The schoolgirls, abducted from Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe state, returned Wednesday morning.

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, in a statement, had said the release of the girls was “unconditional”.

“For the release to work, the government had a clear understanding that violence and confrontation would not be the way out as it could endanger the lives of the girls, hence a non-violent approach was the preferred option,” he said.

“Within the period when the girls were being brought back, operational pause was observed in certain areas to ensure free passage and also that lives were not lost.”

The minister had initially said 76 schoolgirls were documented, but in a subsequent interview with journalists, he said the number had increased to 91, subsequently 101 — before the latest count of 105.

The minister said the girls were not handed over to anyone but dropped off in Dapchi.

Mohammed said: “As of now, I can confirm that 91 girls and one boy have been released. Many of the girls children that were released were not dropped in one place but were dropped on the road.”

Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed speaking to the press minutes ago, on the release of the Dapchi girls #DapchiGirlsAreBack pic.twitter.com/jqcUGsZ5jd

— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) March 21, 2018

He said the girls were released around 3am through back-channel efforts and with the help of some friends of the country.