The Latest: 82 freed schoolgirls to meet Nigerian president
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Esther Yakubu, a woman who says one of her daughter is missing waits for news if she is among the girls released in Abuja, Nigeria, Sunday, May. 7, 2017. Five Boko Haram commanders were released in exchange for the freedom of 82 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by the extremist group three years ago, a Nigerian government official said Sunday, as the girls were expected to meet with the country's president and their families. (AP Photo/ Sunday Alamba) (The Associated Press)
The Latest on the release of Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped three years ago by Boko Haram extremists in Nigeria (all times local):
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9:35 a.m.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nigeria's president says he will meet Sunday with 82 Chibok schoolgirls freed this weekend after being kidnapped three years ago by Boko Haram.
President Muhammadu Buhari said in a statement that he will receive the released schoolgirls in Nigeria's capital, Abuja.
The president said the schoolgirls were freed in exchange for detained suspected extremists in the largest negotiated release so far of the nearly 300 girls whose mass abduction in 2014 highlighted the threat of Nigeria's homegrown extremist fighters who are linked to the Islamic State group.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Before Saturday's release, 195 of the girls had been captive. Now 113 of the girls remain unaccounted for.
As news of the latest release broke, long-suffering family members said they are eagerly awaiting a list of names and their "hopes and expectations are high."