219 kidnapped girls to be freed according to Boko Haram ceasefire terms

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The Nigerian girls kidnapped by militant group Boko Haram will be released according to the terms of a ceasefire struck between the country’s government and the abductors.

Kidnapped six months ago from the town of Chibok, the schoolgirls’ prolonged captivity has raised significant local and global criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan’s government. Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh told the media about the truce on Friday and indicated that the Nigerian military honors the terms of the ceasefire.

Although the 219 girls have yet to be officially released, Nigerian presidential aide Hassan Tukur said, “They’ve assured us they have the girls and will release them,” also saying that he’s “cautiously optimistic” about their impending release. Boko Haram, an Islamic sect at the forefront of an insurgency that began in 2009, did not comment or release any statement on the matter. The group’s name translates to something similar to “Western education is sinful,” or “Western education is forbidden,” according to Stuff New Zealand.

A Nigerian security source, on the other hand, said that “There are some talks, but it depends on the buy-in of the whole group. I would be surprised if Shekau had suddenly changed his mind and is ready for a ceasefire.” Boko Haram is led by Abubakar Shekau, and the group has split into a variety of factions as the insurgency has progressed. The Nigerian government was reported to have been negotiating with a secretary-general within the group identified as Danladi Ahmadu. BBC News reports that the negotiations were sanctioned by Shekau, however.

News of the ceasefire came shortly after a report from the Cameroon defense ministry that a hundred Boko Haram insurgents were killed during a skirmish in North Cameroon on Friday. The announcement of the ceasefire came on the heels of a three day security meeting between Cameroon and Nigeria.