Like a repeat show of the 2014 kidnap of the Chibok girls, 110 girls from a secondary school in Dapchi community of Yobe state, Northern Nigeria, were kidnapped by members of terrorist group Boko Haram. However, it was reported this morning that unlike the Chibok girls, the concerted efforts to secure the release of the Dapchi girls have yielded positive results. According to reports,105 of the kidnapped Dapchi girls were returned this morning by the terrorists to the community.
Here is what we know so far about their forced round trip:
1) On the evening of Monday, 19th February, about 110 girls of Government Girls Secondary School were kidnapped by Boko Haram militants.
2) The Boko Haram militants were disguised as men of the Nigerian Army, and hence had no problem herding the girls into the trucks they bought.
3) Soldiers of the Nigerian Army stationed at Dapchi were withdrawn few hours before the arrival of the Boko Haram terrorists.
4) President Buhari was seen partying at the wedding of the wedding of 2 Nigerian State Governors few hours away from Dapchi, and few days after the kidnapping. (May/may not be related, calm down.)
5) Buhari also bragged later that he responded better than his predecessor when a similar event happened during his administration, while visiting the parents of the abducted school girls. He told the parents that everything would be done to secure the release of the kidnapped children.
6) Amnesty International revealed earlier this week that the Nigerian police and Army were repeatedly warned about Boko Haram’s impending attack on Dapchi. It’s like Nigerian security forces wanted the kidnap to happen so that they could pay the terrorist ranso…no, no, no.
6) Around 3 am, on the 21st of March 2018, Boko Haram terrorists drove into Dapchi community without meeting any resistance, returning 105 girls, with reports saying the missing 5 are dead. “The five Dapchi girls who were killed were trampled to death in Boko Haram’s overcrowded trucks on the day they were kidnapped,” according to Guardian UK.
7) The terrorists dropped a message for the people of Dapchi community; “They (Boko Haram) swore that if they came back and found any girl in school, they’d abduct them again and never give them back.”
8) The Nigerian government, through its original twitter account claims that the release of the girls was as a result of “back-channel” efforts, and that no money was paid.
9) Reports say Nigerian security forces are preventing members of the press from accessing Dapchi community.
Amnesty report – “Nigerian security forces failed to act on advance warnings that a convoy of Boko Haram fighters were heading towards #Dapchi” when 110 girls were kidnapped. #DapchiGirls
— Stephanie Hegarty (@stephhegarty) March 20, 2018
FLASH: Boko Haram has reportedly returned all kidnapped #DapchiGirls girls back to Dapchi township in Yobe, unfortunately, five of them a dead.
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) March 21, 2018
When Boko Haram raided Dapchi and went away with 110 #DapchiGirls there was no security on ground.
A month after the kidnap, Boko Haram drove back the girls in the same vehicles they were taken away, still no security😒
— Kemi Ariyo (@d_problemsolver) March 21, 2018
#Dapchigirls Boko Haram militants did not come with a single gun, they exchanged pleasantries with community leaders and left after dropping the girls off
READ: Boko Haram Returns Kidnapped School Girls To Dapchi, Five Dead | https://t.co/uqJ94Nc6TE— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) March 21, 2018
People who use their heads to think will ask how it was possible for boko haram to freely kidnap and return 100plus #DapchiGirls in an heavily militarised region like Yobe without any confrontation from the military. But I understand some people actually think with their legs.
— Oluyemi Fasipe 🇳🇬 (@YemieFASH) March 21, 2018
UPDATE: #DapchiGirls Liah Sharibu, the only Christian amongst high school girls kidnapped at Dapchi in Yobe remains in Boko Haram custody pic.twitter.com/pyerOxJKF0
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) March 21, 2018
UPDATE: 101 of the 110 abducted Dapchi schoolgirls have been confirmed release and documented so far, the number of the girls would be updated after the remaining ones have been documented. #DapchiGirlsReturn https://t.co/S11jNAAF9f
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) March 21, 2018
Ministers of Information and Defence have just briefed the press ahead of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) Meeting.
The released Girls are in Dapchi and being documented; Situation is developing; release is outcome of “backchannel” negotiations; no ransoms were paid. pic.twitter.com/wajHHCaGUd
— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) March 21, 2018
Details about the released Dapchi girls will be made available in due course. The girls are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), in Dapchi.
The DSS will be briefing the President and the nation in the course of the day.
— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) March 21, 2018