The Nigerian government on Wednesday said 101 of the 110 girls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram Islamist militants in mid-February were returned to their hometown of Dapchi in northeastern Nigeria on Wednesday.

"No ransoms were paid," said Information Minister Lai Mohammed, adding the girls were released "through back-channel efforts and with the help of some friends of the country, and it was unconditional."

The girls were being treated by counselors at a local hospital and would receive psychological treatment before they returned to their schools, according to Mohammed.

Read more: Nigeria fails to protect schools from Boko Haram's attacks

Returned 'out of pity'

The family of one of the kidnapped schoolgirls told DW correspondent Adrian Kriesch in Lagos that their daughter, Aisha, had been returned.

Another father told DW: "They were just brought inside the town and released. The insurgents told them just go to your homes."

Boko Haram freed the girls "out of pity," one of the fighters told residents after a convoy of trucks dropped them off in the town.

He also told residents: "Don't ever put your daughters in school again."

In the local Hausa language, Boko Haram translates as "Western education is forbidden."

Read more: Are Nigerian authorities withholding information on missing Dapchi schoolgirls?

Watch video 03:30 Share New Boko Haram abduction Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2tK7P Nigerian family grieves over abducted schoolgirl

Security forces warned

Nigeria's military dismissed an Amnesty International report that claimed security forces were warned several times ahead of the mass abduction last month as "outright falsehood."

Read more: Is Islamic extremism on the rise in Africa?

Amnesty had on Tuesday cited sources including security officials and witnesses who said military and police received at least five calls in the hours before the attack.

Echoes of 2014

The latest kidnappings caused a fresh wave of anger in Nigeria, with many people reminded of Boko Haram's abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in 2014.

Read more: What makes young African Muslims join jihadi groups?

The February 19 case is the biggest mass abduction since the Chibok kidnappings.

On 22 February, Nigerian media reported that up to 76 of the girls had been rescued, two days after they were kidnapped.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' Traumatic experiences "You notice one thing straightaway - the children here hardly ever laugh," says a helper at Malkohi camp, close to the Nigerian city of Yola. The camp now accommodates almost 300 people who were liberated in early May from Boko Haram captivity. About half are under 18 years old. Every third child is malnourished.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' Starting life in a refugee camp Lami Musa is the mother of probably the camp’s youngest resident. One day before she was rescued by soldiers, she gave birth to a baby girl. During the army’s liberation operation, several women were killed by the terrorists. "I just held my daughter tight and protected her with my body," the young mother said.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' A mother's loss Halima Hawu was less fortunate. One of her three children was run over and killed as they were being abducted by the terrorists. During the army operation, she was shot in the leg by a Nigerian soldier, as Boko Haram members used the women as human shields. "The pain is still there but perhaps the worst is now behind us," she hopes.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' Not enough food for the children Three-year-old Babaka spent six months in capitivity. Food was provided irregularly. There was just some maize for the children every now and then, former captives say. When the soldiers came, the little boy was close to death from starvation. Babaka is still extremely weak. He has not yet received adequate medical care in the camp.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' A narrow escape Babaka’s mother was taken to the nearby hospital in Yola, together with about 20 other seriously injured people. Someone who had been in front of them as they fled trod on a landmine. The massive explosion badly injured the woman and killed a baby she was carrying.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' Need for aid Apart from some donated clothing, little international aid has reached the women and children at Malkohi camp. Much is in short supply, especially medical personnel. There is no trace of the doctor who was supposed to be on duty. The provisional clinic is being run by just two nurses and a midwife.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' Relying on voluntary aid "I don’t understand why our national emergency agency doesn’t do more," says social worker Turai Kadir (seen here). She acted on her own initiative and found a doctor to take care of the children worst affected by malnutrition. That is really the task of NEMA, the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency, but it is totally overwhelmed.

Freed Boko Haram hostages: 'The pain is still there' 'Unbelievable strength' Regina Musa recently returned from the US to teach psychology at Yola University. Now she is helping provide psychological care for the women and children in the camp. "The women have demonstrated unbelievable strength," Musa said. During the traumatic period of captivity many cared for children who were not their own. "We have to help them understand how important that was." Author: Jan-Philipp Scholz / sh



amp, law/rt (dpa, AFP, AP, Reuters)

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