Nigeria’s military has announced that Boko Haram has agreed to a ceasefire and the release of the schoolgirls that were kidnapped back in April.
Alex Badeh, Nigeria’s Air Chief Marshall, said the Nigerian military would adhere to the agreement. Terrorist group Boko Haram has not released its own statement, according to BBC.
Hassan Tukur, an aide to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, said Boko Haram announced a ceasefire on Thursday, prompting the Nigerian government to respond.
“They’ve assured us they have the girls and they will release them,” Tukur said. “I am cautiously optimistic.”
Tukur also said negotiations for the girls’ release would be finalized next week.
In mid-April, nearly 300 girls were kidnapped from their school in northeast Nigeria. Boko Haram’s leader, Abubakar Shekau — who has reportedly agreed to the conditions — said in early May that he would sell the girls into slavery. He also threatened to abduct more girls.
Throughout the summer, Boko Haram reportedly kidnapped dozens more people — including men and boys — as it embarked on a terror campaign that included multiple bombings.
The missing girls made national attention and even got First Lady Michelle Obama to join in on a Twitter hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, which was widely mocked as useless. Malala Yousafzai, now a Nobel Peace Prize winner, met with Jonathan to implore him to do what he could to save the girls.
Coverage of the story of the missing girls waned in July, after they had been missing for 100 days, although negotiations between the Nigerian military and Boko Haram continued.
