Nigerian officials have said that militant group Boko Haram is willing to negotiate releasing more girls who were kidnapped in Nigeria in 2014.

An estimated 220 female students were taken from their school in Chibok two years ago. Twenty one girls were freed last week.

Nigerian officials say the faction of Boko Haram holding another 83 girls is willing to have engage in talks with the government.

The girls who have been released so far were reunited with their families yesterday.

Their relieved parents are reported to have travelled from Chibok to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, for a homecoming ceremony on Sunday after the girls were released to the Nigerian government.

The government has since denied reports that it paid a ransom worth millions of dollars as part of the agreement.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the minister for information and culture, told reporters on Friday that no money was handed over to militants. 

Other reports, citing defence officials, said four Boko Haram prisoners were swapped for the girls.

This claim has also been rejected by Nigerian authorities.