About 158 women and children abducted by Boko Haram militants in north-eastern Nigeria in December have been reunited with families.
They were kidnapped during a raid on Katarko village in Yobe state and spent about a month in captivity.
The BBC reports that the circumstances of their release are unclear but they were eventually handed over to the state authorities for counselling and rehabilitation.
[contextly_sidebar id=”Xs266tiy1Dkth3gmKBkgSFkyAFoEJlgU”]In April, 2014, the Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 girls from a boarding school in Chibok in Borno State.
The Chibok girls’ abduction sparked a social media campaign calling for more to be done to rescue them.
According to the BBC, of the 158 people reunited with their familes, 62 were married women while the rest were children.
One of the abductees, who requested anonymity, told reporters in Damaturu that they were treated humanely by the militants.
She said the insurgents did not rape or abuse the women during their stay.
The reunited families are expected to stay in Damaturu until it is safe to return to their village.
About Boko Haram
Founded in 2002
Initially focused on opposing Western education – Boko Haram means “Western education is forbidden” in the Hausa language
Launched military operations in 2009 to create an Islamic state
Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria – but also attacks on police and UN headquarters in capital, Abuja Some three million people affected
Declared terrorist group by US in 2013 – Se
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By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana