121 ABDUCTED FEMALE STUDENT FREED BY BOKO HARAM.

Defence Headquarters (DHQ) last night announced that 121 of
the female students abducted from the Government Girls’
Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State on Monday night,
had been freed by the military.
The principal of the school confirmed the release, adding that
eight of the students were still missing, but DHQ spokesman,
Major-General Chris Olukolade said efforts were underway to
locate them.
One of the terrorists who carried out the attack on the school
was also captured.

The DHQ spokesman, Olukolade maintained that a total of 129
students were abducted by a group of terrorists. He however
assured Nigerians that the security forces were working
together with the locals to ensure that all the students
regained their freedom.
A security source also said that some of the abductors are well
known to the members of the community who were making
frantic efforts yesterday to ensure that the girls were freed.
In his reaction to the kidnapping of the schoolgirls, former
British Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy for Global
Education, Mr. Gordon Brown, UNICEF said it was time for the
world to wake up to the threat to girls and boys who simply
want to go to school in Nigeria.
Drawing the attention of the world to the plight of school
children in the North-east, Brown said: “Over 100 girls were
abducted in an attack on a school in North-east Nigeria earlier
today. A few weeks ago, over 40 children were murdered in an
attack on their school.
“The abduction from the school in Chibok, Borno State, follows
the bombings yesterday, which killed more than 70 people in
the capital, Abuja.
“The attacks are blamed on the same group, Boko Haram,
whose name means, ‘Western education is forbidden’.
“The threat to children who simply want an education has led
to hundreds of deaths in the last three years. Massacres of
innocent boys and girls are not uncommon. This year alone,
the group’s fighters have killed more than 1,500 civilians,
hundreds of them children, in three states in North-east
Nigeria.
“Boko Haram condemns what they say is a ‘Western-style
education’, and its militants frequently target schools and
educational institutions.
“Approximately one dozen girls escaped last night’s
attack. Running into the bush and wandering until daybreak,
they returned to Chibok to find over 170 houses burnt down
from the attack.”
Brown pledged the commitment of the UN to continue to
support the Nigerian government to ensure that violence
against children is stopped and all Nigerian boys and girls
have the right to go to school safely.
Similarly, China yesterday condemned the girls’ abduction and
voiced its firm support for the Nigerian government.
In reference to the raid on the girls’ college in Chibok Town in
northeastern Nigeria, China strongly condemns and opposes
terrorism in all forms.
“We urge the immediate release of those innocent students
and assurance of their safety.”
She said China, as Nigeria’s strategic cooperative partner,
would continue to firmly support the Nigerian government to
safeguard its national security and stability.
On the same note, UNICEF yesterday condemned in strong
terms the abduction of the schoolgirls from their school hostel
and called for their immediate and unconditional release.
In a statement issued by UNICEF and signed by Regional
Director for West and Central Africa, Manuel Fontaine, the UN
body said it “is deeply concerned about the persistent trend of
attacks on schools in Nigeria. Most recently, unidentified
gunmen killed 53 children between 13 and 17 years old at the
Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State, in
February”.
“Such brutal acts of violence are unacceptable. Attacks on
schools deny children their right to learn in a safe environment
and can rob them of their future. Wherever it takes place,
abduction of children is a crime and illegal under international
law,” Fontaine said.
While expressing its solidarity with the communities affected
by the horrific acts, UNICEF assured the affected communities
that it “stands with the families of the abducted children in
these difficult times” as well as called for greater efforts to
protect all children throughout Nigeria.
Fontaine added: “The Nigerian government should urgently
take steps to make sure that the children are returned to their
families unharmed and that they can continue their education
in a safe environment.”