Nigerian schoolgirls back with families after three years in Boko Haram captivity
Many of the kidnapped Chibok girls have been reunited with their family. (AFP)
The 82 Nigerian schoolgirls recently released after more than three years in Boko Haram captivity are being reunited with their families.
Some of the dozens of families were seen on Saturday in the capital, Abuja, where the girls were taken by Nigerian authorities after their release early this month.
It was the largest liberation of hostages since 276 Chibok schoolgirls were abducted from their boarding school in 2014.
Five commanders from the extremist group were exchanged for the girls' freedom and Nigeria's government has said it will make further exchanges to bring the 113 remaining schoolgirls home.
Many of the girls were forced to marry extremists and have had children.
Some have been radicalised and have refused to return. It is feared that some have been used in suicide bombings.
The mass abduction in April 2014 brought international attention to Boko Haram's deadly insurgency in northern Nigeria, and it launched a global Bring Back Our Girls campaign that drew the backing of some celebrities, including former US first lady Michelle Obama.
Thousands have been kidnapped during the extremists' eight-year insurgency and more than 20,000 have been killed.
The release of the 82 schoolgirls this month came after an initial group of 21 girls was released in October.
Nigeria's government has acknowledged negotiating with Boko Haram for their release, with mediation help from the Swiss government and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Since the latest release, many families in the remote Chibok community have been waiting for word on whether their daughters were among them.
A government list of names circulated, and parents were asked to confirm the freed girls' identities through photos.
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