Nigerian military rescues 76 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram, 2 confirmed dead

About 100 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram from their school in Nigeria are still missing, with two found dead since the students were abducted on Monday, the Nigerian Daily Post reports. The jihadis have increasingly turned to kidnapping for ransom as a way to finance their operations and win back key commanders in prisoner swaps with the Nigerian government.

Heavily armed jihadists stormed the boarding school in the remote town, forcing terrified students to flee into the surrounding bush.

While numerous Chibok girls escaped or were later freed through government negotiations, about 100 of the girls were said to be indoctrinated by their captors and had children with them. Nigeria’s defence spokesman denied that any troops had been withdrawn.

Zainab, a 14-year-old schoolgirl, was one of the students abducted along with others; her mother could not bear the news that her daughter was not coming home yet.

“All the figures being given on the missing girls can not be said to be correct because the state government – through the Education Ministry – has not been forthcoming with required information”, Senator Hassan said.

The state governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, “told us the girls have not been found and we should continue to pray for their safe return”, another parent, Rabiu Sani, told the AP. There have been wild guesses as to their number.

He was said to have taken the leaders into confidence but they agreed that he should also address the crowd which had gathered outside.

Sesugh Akume, a spokesperson for the group, said the limited information so far offered the public on the attack of their school and the girls’ rescue clearly raise crucial questions that demand prompt answers. “I am not unaware of the rumours going on, l want to appeal to the press and the society to please cooperate with the security agencies in this situation”, he said.

“I am just praying that my niece is among those rescued”.

USA state department spokesperson Heather Nauert said Boko Haram’s “choice of targets including schools, markets and places of worship reflect the brutality of terror organisations”.

Yobe State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Mohammed Lamin, however disclosed on Wednesday that 48 of the 94 missing girls had returned to the school while 48 were being searched by the team set up by the state government.

Usman Katarko, a farmer, said he knew the men were not soldiers even though they wore military uniforms because there were Arabic inscriptions on their vehicles.

Officials at the time had “no credible information yet” as to whether any of the schoolgirls were taken hostage, Bego said.

The attack in Dapchi will again raise questions about the government’s grip on security in remote northeast Nigeria, after almost nine years of fighting and at least 20,000 deaths.