TheCable

Boko Haram sect has released 82 of the students abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno state, according to Sahara Reporters.

Quoting a military source, the news website said the captives regained freedom following a negotiation between the federal government and the sect.

The source was quoted as saying the girls were in Banki town in Borno state, awaiting airlift to an unknown destination.

President Muhammadu Buhari has repeatedly said his government was making efforts to secure the release of the girls.

During the third anniversary of their abduction, Buhari urged Nigerians not to lose hope over the girls.

He promised to reunite abductees with their parents.

“We were determined to secure the release of the Chibok girls and others forcefully abducted from their homes and communities and retake the occupied territories,” he had said in a statement issued by Femi Adesina, his spokesman.

“We have had reason to celebrate the return of twenty-four of them and thousands of other Nigerians who were forcibly abducted by the terrorists.

“Furthermore, government is in constant touch through negotiations, through local intelligence to secure the release of the remaining girls and other abducted persons unharmed.

“We have reached out to their captors, through local and international intermediaries, and we are ever ready to do everything within our means to ensure the safe release of all the girls.”

On April 14, 2014, 276 girls were abducted. Out of that number, 81 have regained freedom, while 195 are still in captivity.

Efforts made to confirm report of the latest release did not yield the desired result as Sani Usman, spokesman of the Nigerian army, did not answer calls or reply the text message sent to his telephone, while Garba Shehu, spokesman of the president, promised to get back to TheCable.