Freed Chibok girls to be tested for HIV

Doctors are to test the just released 21 Chibok girls for any sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS, a security source told our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday.

He said that the girls, who were camped at the national headquarters of the Department of State Services, were being held in order to ascertain their state of health before being released to their families.

Apart from this, he said that doctors and psychologists and other health providers would also examine the girls.

Our correspondent, who visited the DSS headquarters, was told that there was a directive from “above” not to allow journalists have access to the girls.

He said the vice-president would give directive on whether their pictures should be taken or not.

Even at that, he added, “this would only be done after the parents of the girls have been contacted.”

The source said, “These girls were taken away for more than two years now. They had lived with the criminals who thrive in drugs and all sorts of other things that are peculiar to criminals.

“While we are happy that they are now free and with us, we also have to be guided on how we deal with them.

“These are innocent girls who didn’t prepare for what happened to them. We will guide them, check them and also find out their state of health.”

It was however not clear if any of the girls has had a baby while in captivity.