Chibok Girls Alive And Well; Last Seen With Boko Haram In Gwoza --Report

More than 50 of the girls abducted by terrorist group Boko Haram in
Chibok, Borno State, a year ago, were seen alive three weeks ago, a
woman has told the BBC.

According to the woman whose name was not published by the British
online news platform, the girls were seen in Gwoza before the Boko
Haram militants were dislodged by the Nigerian military, backed by
forces from neighbouring countries. The Islamist sect was believed to
have made Gwoza its headquarters after it captured the town in August
2014.

The woman, who lived under Boko Haram's rule in Gwoza, told the BBC
that she saw the girls in Islamic attire, being escorted by the
militants.

"They said they were Chibok girls kept in a big house," said the
woman, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals.

"We just happened to be on the same road with them," she added.

She was not the only one who saw the girls, three other women also
told the BBC they had seen the girls in Gwoza. One said she last saw
some of the girls in November at a Boko Haram camp in Bita village,
also in the north-east.

"About a week after they were brought to the camp, one of us peeked
through a window and asked: 'Are you really the Chibok girls?' and
they said: 'Yes'. We believed them and didn't ask them again," the
woman said.

"They took Koranic lessons, cleaned their compound, cooked for
themselves and they braided each others' hair. They were treated
differently - their food [was] better and water clean."

One of the things regarded as the failings of Nigeria's outgoing
President Goodluck Jonathan was not doing enough to end the six-year
insurgency in the north-east. He was also criticized for not securing
the freedom of the girls.

Incoming President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to "crush" the
insurgents. He also promised to do everything in his power to ensure
the girls are rescued, although he said there was no guarantee.

Insecurity in the country was one of the top issues on his agenda
following his campaign which was largely about ending insecurity and
corruption in Nigeria. The people of the country will be be hoping on
his administration's efforts, for an end to insurgency by Boko Haram
which has claimed more than 15,000 lives in the past six years. He is
due to be inaugurated on 29 May.