'We need to pray for the released 21 Chibok girls' - Pontiff says

Pope Francis has released a statement on the 21 Chibok girls, who were released after spending over two years in the hands of Boko Haram terrorists.

In this statement, released through his representative, President of Pontifical Mission Societies (Nigeria), Rev. Fr. George Ajana, the Catholic leader urged the church to pray for the girls.

Pope Francis also encouraged the Federal Government to provide psychological rehabilitation for the girls, who are part of the 40 girls who have been rescued, so far.

“The release of the 21 Chibok girls is victory, it is a very good sign and we are thanking God for it that some of the Chibok girls were released. Nigerians have been celebrating all this while, the church joins them in the celebration and we are one with them."

"So, we first of all thank God that a few of them, just 21 were released. The Chibok girls need medical assistance; the government is doing that already. They have been taken to hospital. I think they will need psychological rehabilitation. The government need to bring in experts to stabilise them because they must have gone through a lot of trauma.

I don’t think they will be their normal selves any longer. So, the Chibok girls need to be psychologically brought back to their real life. And we need to pray for them; the church will be very happy to do that. We keep praying for the release of the rest because they are human beings to be respected. The life of one person is as important as the lives of the whole nation, which must be respected," the Pontiff said.

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The statement was read during this year’s World Mission Sunday, at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, Area 3, Abuja.