A new video has emerged online, raising fresh doubts about the official account of how the abducted schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga in Kebbi State were freed.
The footage, which began circulating late Wednesday, suggests that government representatives and the bandits reached an understanding before the girls were released.
This directly contradicts earlier statements from authorities claiming that no ransom was paid and that the students were rescued through coordinated security efforts.
The girls were freed on Tuesday, days after armed men stormed their school, killed a vice-principal, and whisked the students into the forest.
In the new video, several armed men are seen speaking with the schoolgirls shortly before their release.
One of the bandits asks the students how many military aircraft hovered above them during their captivity. The girls respond by saying the jets were “uncountable.”
The bandit then mocks the government, insisting that the authorities could not rescue them “by force” and had no choice but to negotiate.
The abductors also question the girls about their treatment in captivity. They ask whether the students were left hungry or assaulted. The girls replied “No” to both questions.
One of the bandits assures them that they would be taken back to their parents safely “based on peace deals,” adding that the agreement had already been concluded.
Towards the end of the footage, one of the kidnappers declares that the girls are being freed because negotiations have ended.
He boldly claims that the government “cannot rescue you with might” and insists that the authorities have failed in their responsibility to protect citizens.
The video appeared shortly after Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, announced that all abducted students had regained their freedom.
The girls were later shown inside a bus, smiling and interacting with officials preparing to transport them to Birnin Kebbi for medical evaluation and documentation.
The incident has triggered renewed conversations about the rising trend of school abductions and the government’s repeated denial of negotiating with armed groups.
Many Nigerians are now questioning the transparency of rescue operations, especially when banditry continues to expand across the northwest.