Parents of Freed Chibok Girls Anxiously Await Reunion

The parents of the 82 freed schoolgirls that were abducted by Boko Haram in 2014, say that they are anxiously waiting to be reunited with their daughters.

The girls, who were part of the larger group of 276 that were abducted in Chibok in April 2014, were released on Sunday after the Nigerian government brokered a deal with the terrorist group.

However, while the girls may be free from their captors now, it will take a while for them to be reunited with their families as there are certain procedures that the government has to follow beforehand.

The girls are busy undergoing various medical and psychological assessments. According to Yakubu Nkeki, the head of the Abducted Chibok Girls Parents’ group, the assessment process may take a while.

“This may take some time, as the girls are now undergoing medical and mental evaluation to ensure they are in the best of condition [sic],” Nkeki said.

“We don’t mind waiting… Their health and wellbeing is paramount to us and such evaluation takes time, especially with such a huge number of girls,” Nkeki said.

In the meantime, pictures of the girls have been sent to villages in and around the Borno state to help parents identify their daughters.