A video has emerged suggesting that the Nigerian government negotiated with the bandits who abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State before the students were released.
The kidnapped students of Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, were freed on Tuesday, with authorities insisting that no ransom was paid. However, the newly circulated footage challenges that claim, showing armed men discussing the girls’ captivity and hinting at a deal with the Government.
In the clip shared on X, one of the abductors questions the girls about military aircraft flying over the forest during their ordeal. When asked how many jets passed overhead, the students replied, “uncountable.”
The bandit then boasted that the authorities could not rescue the girls by force and had to negotiate for their release. He also inquired about their well-being.
“Did we leave you hungry?” he asked. The students answered, “No.”
“Were you assaulted in any way?” he continued. “No,” they replied.
Another kidnapper told the girls, “We will take you back home safe to your parents. We are doing this based on peace deals,” while mocking the Government again about its inability to rescue them.
The video ends with one of the abductors declaring, “We are letting you go after negotiations. Your Government cannot rescue you with might. Your Government has failed.”
All the schoolgirls abducted in Kebbi State have been safely rescued. I must commend our security forces for their swift response, and the parents and community for their strength during this period.
— Bola Ahmed Tinubu (@officialABAT) November 25, 2025
In response to the recent kidnappings and acts of terrorism, I have ordered a…
The footage surfaced shortly after Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris and Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle confirmed the students’ release. The girls, who were abducted after armed men stormed their school and killed the vice-principal, were later seen smiling on a bus as they were transported to Birnin Kebbi, the State capital.
Authorities said the students would be reunited with their parents on Wednesday.
Read some netizens’ reactions below as bandits mock FG In New Video Over Negotiations For Kebbi Schoolgirls
@globaltrends: They know what they’re doing.
@crespo: That is Pure nons’ense on the part of the Government. If Government is negotiating with terror!st in 2025, what kind of message are they trying to pass to the public. The terror:st is even boasting that Government can’t secure their release except the Government come to negotiate
@ovo_of_lagos: Who is even negotiating with them??And again, is the negotiation free of charge??Cus I don’t understand this people again
@odipraise: With the way Tinubu’s government is negotiating with terrorist, when this terrorist grow to a certain level, they won’t want negotiations… The will come to own the government… Soon
@prisca: Now I believe this one, because how can you just say you rescued all and there was no arrest, no report of anyone shot dead?Government is negotiating with terrorists in Nigeria, hehehe. They should keep it up
@felixwise: You will notice how calm the children were on the bus when they were freed. It is clear that negotiations were made with these goons for their release. The Federal Government is yet to understand that this approach will never work. These bandits are not businessmen who invest money and wait for returns; they simply spend it and then look for a new set of children to kidnap. Sadly, this is the same template endorsed by people like Sheikh Gumi.
@oxch: The moment a country normalizes talking to kidnappers to free church members, the suffering of innocent people becomes a bargaining chip. And once criminals know they can bargain, they will kidnap again. And again.
@dinz: I hope Bayo Onanuga and the Kebbi State Governor, are both watching this…
@naijamemelord: This is a big slap…we just dey disgrace our country front & back.