HomePress ReleasesUpdate: How ICRC Facilitated...

Update: How ICRC Facilitated hand-over of Unimaid Lecturers, Police Women from Boko Haram

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the handover — from the armed opposition to the Nigerian military — of 10 women police officers and three university professors..
This operation in north-east Nigeria, with the ICRC acting as a neutral intermediary, was carried out at the request of the parties to the ongoing armed conflict.
“We are so pleased that these 13 people are free and will be able to see their families again,” said Patrick Youssef, deputy regional director for Africa.
The ICRC was not involved in any negotiations that led to the handover of the 13 people. The armed opposition handed the 13 people over to ICRC representatives who transported them to Nigerian authorities. This action was similar to what the ICRC did in October 2016 and May 2017, when we transported the released “Chibok girls” to Nigerian officials.
“There are many people missing or being held against their will due to the conflict,” said Mr. Youssef. “This creates untold trauma and suffering, including for families across the Lake Chad region who must live with the daily uncertainty and anguish of not knowing the fate or whereabouts of their loved ones. We hope that these people, too, will get to return to their families soon.”
The ICRC remains ready to provide similar humanitarian services in the future when asked by relevant parties to the conflict.
Note to editors: The ICRC will not be able to connect journalists with the released persons or their families, and we ask for respect for their privacy during this time. Similarly, we will not be able to provide any additional details on the handover operation.
ICRC contact persons:
Aleksandra Matijevic Mosimann, Abuja
Crystal Wells, Nairobi
Matt Clancy, Geneva

- A word from our sponsors -

spot_img

Most Popular

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

More from Author

Cheta Nwanze: Failed visa Marriages

by Cheta Nwanze The 1990 film Green Card told a relatively innocent...

Digital Marketing for Attorneys

In the competitive landscape of legal services, personal injury and medical...

- A word from our sponsors -

spot_img

Read Now

“No Victor, No Vanquished” — Angbazo calls for unity after Nasarawa ADC Governorship Primary win

LAFIA — Retired General Nuhu Angbazo has emerged victorious from the Africa Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship primaries in Nasarawa State, calling on all party faithful to sheathe their swords and rally behind a common vision for the state's development. In a press statement issued shortly after his victory...

Lazarus Angbazo: The Countries that will lead the AI Economy are being decided right Now — By Their PowerGrids

Nigeria has enough installed generation to power a mid-sized country. The grid delivers less than half of it. Around the world, the race to build AI-ready power infrastructure is already underway — and the decisions African governments and investors make in the next eighteen months will determine...

Cheta Nwanze: Failed visa Marriages

by Cheta Nwanze The 1990 film Green Card told a relatively innocent story: a French immigrant and an American woman enter a marriage of convenience so he can stay in the US. They barely know each other. They hope never to see each other again after the deal...

Digital Marketing for Attorneys

In the competitive landscape of legal services, personal injury and medical malpractice attorneys are finding themselves overshadowed by competitors who dominate online visibility. The root of this issue lies in the digital presence that many firms lack. While traditional word-of-mouth referrals still hold value, the digital age...

Lazarus Angbazo: The global power industry is leaving Africa behind

 Dr. Lazarus AngbazoThe nascent AI revolution is not just driving electricity consumption and massive demand for additional capacity—it is reshaping how power is built, maintained, and delivered. For Africa, the real risk is no longer just insufficient capacity—it is also losing control and ability to manage the capacity it...

Bunmi Onabanjo-Kuku: The first thing you feel when you land in Nigeria

By Bunmi Onabanjo-Kuku The first thing you feel when you land in a country is not its culture, not its cuisine, not its people. It is its airport. That threshold, the space between the jet bridge and the city beyond, tells you everything a nation believes about itself...

Dr. Lazarus Angbazo: Why a fractured world strengthens the case for African Infrastructure

How inflation, energy insecurity, power scarcity, and geopolitical fragmentation are reshaping the risk-return case for African infrastructure By Dr. Lazarus Angbazo At a recent global infrastructure summit, the prevailing mood among institutional investors was unmistakable. Faced with surging capital requirements for energy transition, grid expansion, and digital infrastructure in Europe and...

Aliko Dangote to launch what could become Africa’s largest initial public offering to raise $5 billion from investors

Nigeria’s biggest local investor, Aliko Dangote, is moving ahead with plans to launch what could become Africa’s largest initial public offering, as Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals prepares to raise up to $5 billion from investors. The share sale is expected to open as early as May, with...

Criminal networks have turned Nigeria’s telecom towers into open-air warehouses for theft, looting

Criminal networks have turned Nigeria’s telecom towers into open-air warehouses for theft, looting 656 critical power assets across 14 states in 2025 alone and keeping up the pace in early 2026. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) data showed the haul included 152 generators and 504 batteries stolen from...

Paul Yirenkyi: A call for Caution Needed, President Tinubu and the INEC-ADC Crisis

I have seen enough cycles of tension and resolution to recognise when restraint must prevail over confrontation. The current standoff between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is one such moment. In early April 2026, INEC withdrew recognition of the Senator...

Nigeria’s opposition landscape appears increasingly fractured, disorganised and strategically weakened

10 months until the 2027 general elections, Nigeria’s opposition landscape appears increasingly fractured, disorganised and strategically weakened. Although no fewer than 21 political parties have been registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to participate in the polls, developments within the parties, including internal crises, litigations and other destabilising factors, may...

Power shortages weaken Nigeria’s business activity 

Nigeria’s business environment continued to expand in March 2026 but slowed as rising input costs and power supply deficits weighed on performance, according to the latest Business Confidence Monitor (BCM) report by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG). The report indicates that the Current Business Performance Index declined...