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WORLD NEWS Monday 15 May 2017
Parents of freed Nigeria schoolgirls still wait to see them

BASHIR ADIGUN their homes. and that they would be
SUNDAY ALAMBA Nigeria’s government has able to pursue their educa-
Associated Press said the first group of 21 tion.
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Chibok girls has been re- But families remain in
Parents of the 82 Nige- ceiving medical attention, Chibok, some 900 kilome-
rian schoolgirls released trauma counseling and ters (559 miles) from the
over the weekend from rehabilitation. During a capital, Abuja.
Boko Haram captivity said meeting with the 82 newly Allen Manasseh, a spokes-
Wednesday they still were released schoolgirls on Sun- man for the Chibok par-
awaiting word from the day night, President Mu- ents, said he hopes the lat-
government on exactly hammadu Buhari promised est round of family reunions
when they will be able to that he personally would are better managed this In this Monday May. 8, 2017 file photo, Chibok schoolgirls, re-
cently freed from Nigeria extremist captivity, are photographed
meet their daughters. oversee their rehabilitation time around.q in Abuja, Nigeria.
Community leaders were Associated Press
headed from the capi-
tal, Abuja, to the town of
Chibok with photos of the
newly released girls so that
families can identify them,
presidential spokesman
Garba Shehu said. “They
will then organize to bring
the parents to Abuja to see
their daughters,” he said.
One father said he was
thrilled to find out his daugh-
ter was among those re-
leased in exchange for five
Boko Haram command-
ers. But Abana Ishaya said
he cannot travel the long
distance from his home
in northern Nigeria to the
capital without the gov-
ernment’s invitation and
assurance that he will see
her.
Boko Haram kidnapped
276 schoolgirls from the
town of Chibok in April
2014, bringing the extremist
group’s deadly rampage
in northern Nigeria to the
world’s attention. A first
group of 21 girls was freed
in October and they have
been in government care
since then, despite calls by
families and human rights
groups for them to be re-
leased to their loved ones.
“I’m very anxious to meet
her so I can celebrate with
her and others that were
freed, and also to pray for
the remaining ones who
are still missing so they can
be rescued,” Ishaya told
The Associated Press. “I re-
ally want to see my daugh-
ter, but I can’t come unless
with government invita-
tion.”
Families say 113 of the
Chibok schoolgirls remain
missing. They are among
thousands kidnapped
by Boko Haram during its
eight-year insurgency that
has left thousands dead
and driven millions from