The 293 females rescued from Sambisa forest have been taken to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital by the Nigerian Military to undergo routine medical tests.
According to a military source who spoke to Punch, 7 of the girls rescued had gunshot wounds and are being treated at the hospital. The 200 girls rescued are of between ages 13 and 18 years.
Our source explained that the military would on Thursday (today) commence a holistic investigation of the identities of the girls and women after the tests and treatment.
Another officer disclosed that the DHQ was being careful with saying who the women and girls were to avoid mistakes.
He said, “This is a sensitive matter that has to be handled with serious caution. You cannot say before the commencement of the investigation that they are the Chibok girls or not.
“Another thing is that you cannot start asking them if they are from Chibok because of the harrowing experiences or trauma they have gone through.
“Clearly, it would be too early for anybody to say that Chibok girls are among them or not; they are under custody; they went through trauma and we want to them to have some relief. Those with medical requirements are being treated.
“But the military is very careful. There is the need to ascertain their true identities.
“There would be individual interrogation of each of those rescued, to ascertain their link with the sect.”
However, the Borno State Government said on Wednesday that most of the ladies were from Bumsiri, a village in Damboa Local Government Area of the state.
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