Hopes for captured Nigerian schoolgirls

Reuters quoted a senior government source as saying that Nigeria aims to have the captives freed by Tuesday. The official did not say where the transfer would take place.

The source said: “I can confirm that FG ( federal government) is working hard to meet its own part of the agreement so that the release of the abductees can by effected either on Monday or latest Tuesday next week.”

Reports that talks between the government and rebels were about to lead to a hostage handover have surfaced before, only for hopes to be dashed.

On Friday, Nigeria’s military said it had reached a ceasefire agreement with Boko Haram, a group that has been fighting an insurgency since 2009.

Militants seized the girls in the north eastern town of Chibok in April, sparking international outrage.

Last week a government spokesman said the truce deal covered the release of the captives and Boko Haram had given assurances that the schoolgirls and all other abductees are alive and well.

The pupils have not been seen they were seized in a night-time raid on their school near the border with Cameroon, although Boko Haram released a video showing the captives.

There were reports over the summer that some of the hostages had managed to escape from captivity and had made their way home.

An international campaign called #bringbackourgirls went viral this year, attracting the support of celebrities and influential people around the world including Michelle Obama.

Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, has been widely criticised for the government’s slow response to the kidnapping and its inability to combat the threat of Boko Haram.

The group, whose name translates as “western education is not allowed” has killed thousands of people in its effort to create an Islamic caliphate governed by sharia law in northern Nigeria.