Terrorists buried 5 Dapchi girls in the bush

A father of an abducted Dapchi schoolgirl who was not returned by Boko Haram terrorists has lamented about how his daughter is one of the five girls that died and have been buried in the bush.

110 schoolgirls had been kidnapped by the terrorists on February 19, 2018, during an attack on their school but 104 were released on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, to wild jubilation in Dapchi.

One of the schoolgirls, Khadija Grema, told Channels Television on Wednesday that five of her schoolmates died of heart attack and stress as a result of the long trip while the terrorists have held on to 15-year-old Leah Sharibufor religious reasons.

Bereaved father, Inuwa Garba, told Associated Press on Thursday, March 22 that some of the released girls told him that his 16-year-old daughter was the first to die and was buried in the bush alongside the other four.

"They told me five of the girls died and my daughter, who was among them, was the first to die," he said.

Even though President Muhammadu Buhari has commented on the fate of Sharibu who's still being held, the Federal Government has failed to comment on the five girls that have been reported dead by their schoolmates.

No ransom paid for girls - FG

The Federal Government has categorically denied reports that it paid a ransom to Boko Haram to secure the release of the girls.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the "unconditional" release of the girls was as a result of back-channel efforts achieved through "the help of some friends of the country".

He also revealed that the terrorists had requested that they be allowed to return the girls themselves which they did on Wednesday, driving the girls back to Dapchi, while the military took an operational pause.

Released schoolgirls moved to Abuja

After the 104 schoolgirls, alongside two other released hostages, were documented and profiled in Dapchi on Wednesday, they were transported to Borno State capital, Maiduguri, for onward movement to Abuja.

At the 105 Air Force Composite Command, Maiduguri yesterday, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Rogers Nicholas, presented the released girls to a delegation of the Federal Government.

The delegation was led by Lai Mohammed, and included Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khadija Bukar-Abba.

The released girls, alongside their parents and some aid workers, boarded a Nigerian Air Force aircraft to Abuja late on Wednesday.

Dapchi abduction

Boko Haram militants invaded Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School in Dapchi, Bursari local government area of Yobe on Monday, February 19, 2018, and abducted 110 schoolgirls.

According to accounts by residents, the terrorists invaded the town around 7 pm in over 18 gun trucks mounted with high caliber weapons.

The abduction was a repeat of another Boko Haram attack that happened when militants invaded Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok and kidnapped 276 female students in April 2014.

After several escapes and releases, 112 of the girls remain in captivity of the deadly terrorist group.