Kidnapped schoolgirls finally home

Nigerian government is talking to Boko Haram about possible truce

DAPCHI, Nigeria — The schoolgirls kidnapped by the Boko Haram militant group in Dapchi, northeastern Nigeria, were reunited with their families on Sunday after spending nearly five weeks in captivity.

The 105 girls, covered head to toe in burkas, arrived aboard five buses in the town of Dapchi, in Yobe state, where they were greeted by their parents at the boarding school where they were snatched on Feb 19.

After their release on Wednesday, they had spent three days in the national capital Abuja where they were greeted by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Kachalla Bukar, the father of one of the girls who is spokesman for the parents, said they were flown to the major northern city of Maiduguri from Abuja, then transferred under military escort to Dapchi.

Top officials were on hand for a solemn ceremony in which the parents regained custody of their children.

The girls were among 111 who were seized, of whom five died apparently during the violent hostage-taking or in the trucks that took them away.

Their release leaves one schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu, still in the hands of the kidnappers, reportedly because she is a Christian who refused to convert to Islam.

Buhari on Friday pledged to do “everything in our power” to obtain Leah’s freedom.

Authorities earlier expressed optimism that Leah would be released at the weekend.

According to witnesses, the girls were held on an island on Lake Chad, which is a known stronghold for fighters loyal to Boko Haram factional leader