It is still unclear the exact number of girls who have regained freedom, but director of defence information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, confirmed the news to TheCable. “What I can confirm now is that some of the girls are already in the barracks,” he said. The details are still sketchy. At least 54 of the girls had escaped while 219 were still being held by Boko Haram until now. A few hours before the news broke, the national chairman of Chibok Association, Dr Pogu Bitrus, had expressed optimism that the girls would soon be rescued.
Speaking with TheCable on Tuesday, Bitrus disclosed that the Nigerian troops had recorded some success in their effort to rid Sambisa of Boko Haram. “If you go to Sambisa now, they have cleared parts of that Boko Haram stronghold. The troops have made inroads into places where the girls are,” he said. “We don’t have confirmation yet about the return of the girls, but we know that they are in two camps close to the border. We believe before the end of the day we will get a confirmation.”
Source: The Cable
