President of Nigeria meets with freed Chibok schoolgirls

ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari expressed joy at meeting Sunday with the 82 Chibok schoolgirls newly freed after being held captive for three years by Boko Haram Islamic extremists.

“We’ve always made it clear that we will do everything in our power to ensure the freedom & safe return of our daughters & of all BH (Boko Haram) captives,” Buhari said on his Twitter account.

Photos tweeted by the president show dozens of the freed girls at Buhari’s official residence.

“The president was delighted to receive them, and he promised that all that is needed to be done to reintegrate them into the society will be done,” said presidential spokesman Femi Adesina. “He promised that the presidency will personally supervise their rehabilitation. He mentioned that they will continue with their education.

The young women have been handed over to government officials who will supervise their rehabilitation, said Adesina. The schoolgirls will be reunited with their families soon, said the International Committee of the Red Cross, which helped negotiate the girls’ release.

Shortly after meeting the freed schoolgirls Buhari announced that he will be returning to London for medical treatment.

Five Boko Haram commanders were released in exchange for the girls’ freedom, a Nigerian government official said Sunday.

Parents of the girls were waiting for a government list of names of those who had been freed. Authorities say 113 girls remain missing from the group of 276 abducted from their boarding school in April 2014.