A fresh video has emerged suggesting that the release of students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State, followed a negotiation between the kidnappers and the authorities.
As reported by Daily Post, in the footage shared by @AM_Saleeem on X, an armed man is seen interrogating the schoolgirls about military aircraft that flew over the forest while they were held.
He asked how many jets circled above them, to which the girls respond, “uncountable.”
The bandit, speaking confidently, insists that security forces were unable to rescue the students through force.
“Did we leave you hungry?” one of the abductors asks the girls.
“No,” they reply.
He goes on to question them further: “Were you assaulted in any way?”
“No,” the girls answer again.
Another kidnapper is heard telling the victims, “We will take you back home safe to your parents, we are doing this based on peace deals.”
He mocked the authorities repeatedly, asking, “How many helicopters did you see hover around?” The students say they could not count them.
Toward the end of the clip, one of the abductors declares, “We are letting you go after negotiations. Your government cannot rescue you with might. Your government has failed.”
The video surfaced hours after Kebbi State governor, Nasir Idris, and Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, announced the release of all abducted students, insisting that no ransom was paid.
The schoolgirls, taken after armed men invaded their school and killed the vice-principal, were later seen smiling inside a bus as officials arranged their movement to Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
Authorities say the girls will be reunited with their parents today (Wednesday).
Watch video HERE