ABUJA – A terrorist video claiming responsibility for freeing kidnapped schoolgirls directly contradicted official government accounts on Sunday, creating a stark narrative clash as dozens of victims from multiple mass abductions returned home.
The confrontation emerged as all 24 schoolgirls kidnapped in Kebbi State, 38 worshippers seized from a Kwara church, and 50 students from Niger State’s St. Mary’s Catholic School were confirmed safe. While President Bola Tinubu praised security forces for securing their freedom, the terrorists presented a dramatically different version of events.
In a video addressed to the Kebbi schoolgirls, the kidnappers explicitly stated: “We are releasing you, government did not rescue you,” directly challenging the official narrative of a security-led resolution.
President Tinubu had earlier expressed relief that “all the 24 girls have been accounted for,” while vowing to deploy “more boots on the ground in vulnerable areas to avert further incidents of kidnapping.” He commended security agents for their efforts in securing the victims’ release.
The conflicting accounts raised immediate questions about whether the freedom resulted from military pressure or negotiated settlements. Notably absent from presidential statements was any mention of pursuing justice for the victims or holding the terrorist groups accountable for their actions.
The simultaneous resolution of kidnapping cases across three states—while bringing relief to affected families—highlighted the complex challenges facing Nigeria’s security strategy, particularly the tension between securing immediate victim releases and establishing deterrence through perpetrator accountability.
