released Chibok girls to undergo surgery

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Jummai Alhassan said tests conducted on the 82 by Chibok girls that were freed on Saturday show that some of them need to undergo surgery

The minister disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja, on Thursday, May 11. The 82 girls, who are part of the 276 girls abducted by Boko Haram from Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State in 2014, were released five days ago after three years in captivity.

"The 82 Chibok girls are currently undergoing medical screening in Abuja. Some of them need surgery… this should be completed in two to three weeks." Mrs Alhassan said.

The minister denied reports that the Federal Government has refused to grant parents of the girls and the 21 others released in October 2016 by Boko Haram access them.

She said pictures of the 82 girls released on Saturday had been sent to their parents for identification, while parents of those released earlier had full access to them.

Mrs Alhassan also said that contrary to reports that the government had prevented the girls released earlier from going back home, the reality was that they were scared of going back to Chibok.

“We had a meeting with the parents of the 21 girls and the girls themselves and they all asked the Federal Government to send them to school and take care of them. Most of them are scared of returning to Chibok because of their experiences,” she said.

“But to show you that parents have access to their daughters, some parents just left the facility where the girls were kept three weeks ago after visiting the girls. One of the girls, who is married, is at present in Chibok, visiting the town with her husband and his family.”