In a startling development that contradicts official statements, armed bandits have released a video boasting about their negotiations with the Nigerian government that led to the release of abducted Kebbi schoolgirls.
The Controversial Video Emerges
A newly surfaced video shows armed kidnappers openly mocking Nigerian authorities while claiming they reached a peace deal before releasing the students. The footage, shared on social media platform X by user @AM_Saleeem, features multiple bandits questioning the rescued girls about their captivity experience.
One bandit is heard asking the students about military aircraft that flew over the forest during their captivity. "How many jets passed above us?" he questions, to which the girls collectively respond, "uncountable." The kidnapper then uses this exchange to boast that authorities couldn't rescue the students by force and had to negotiate.
Contradicting Official Narratives
The video emerged shortly after Kebbi State governor Nasir Idris and Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle announced that all abducted students from Government Girls Secondary School in Maga had been freed. Government officials had previously claimed that no ransom was paid for the girls' release on Tuesday, November 25.
However, the bandits present a different story in the video evidence. "We are letting you go after negotiations. Your government cannot rescue you with might. Your government has failed," one kidnapper states directly to the camera, challenging the official narrative.
Student Treatment and Final Release
The video also shows bandits questioning the girls about their treatment during captivity. "Did we leave you hungry?" one bandit asks, with the girls responding "No." When asked if they were assaulted in any way, the students again answered negatively.
Another kidnapper tells the girls, "We will take you back home safe to your parents, we are doing this based on peace deals." This statement directly contradicts the government's position that no negotiations occurred.
The students were initially kidnapped when armed men stormed their school and killed the vice-principal. Following their release, the girls were seen smiling inside a bus as officials prepared to transport them to Birnin Kebbi, the state capital. Authorities confirmed the students would be handed over to their parents on November 26.
The footage has sparked serious questions about the transparency of rescue operations and the government's approach to dealing with bandits in Nigeria's ongoing security crisis.
