Following the abduction of over 300 students from the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina state, terrorist sect, Boko Haram has released a video footage showing the schoolboys.
The abduction occurred a few hours after the President, Muhammadu Buhari arrived in Daura, Katsina for a week-long private visit.
Recall that Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram, had earlier released a video claiming responsibility for the abduction.
The Defence Headquarters had however labelled the claim as inaccurate, insisting that they were positive about the dire act being carried out by bandits.
READ ALSO: Kankara Abduction: ‘We Have Found Their Hideout’–Masari
But a fresh video uploaded by HumAngle showing teenagers believed to be the Kankara schoolboys emerged today, Thursday.
Several other dusty-looking young boys could be seen crying behind him, with a background that suggested they might be within a forest.
A few of the boys also claimed they were in good health.
One of the boys who spoke in both English and Hausa revealed they were a total of 520 students.
He however added that a few of them were killed because of the Federal troops that were sent by the Government to rescue them.
He urged the Federal Government to settle peacefully with their abductors, advising against the use of military force in trying to rescue them.
A voice behind the camera was heard telling the young boy what to say.
“We have been caught by the gangs of Abu Shekau; some of us were killed,” the distraught young boy said.
A supposed member of the terrorist sect wearing a military uniform, face mask and holding an assault rifle was seen standing amidst the children.
The abductors in the video revealed that the continuous killings and arrest of Fulani criminals was the reason behind the kidnap.
“We did this because you refused to stop killing and arresting Fulani,” one of them was heard saying.
The earlier distraught-looking young boy then continued, pleading with the government to stop attacking the terrorists.
“All the armies that you sent here can do nothing to them”, he said.
He further urged the Government to “dissolve vigilante gangs and close down all types of schools, excluding Islamiyya (Qur’anic schools)”.
Abubakar Shekau also spoke at the end of the video expressing his happiness of the operation.
He said several people had thought he was merely make false claims when he assumed responsibility for the schoolboys’ abduction.
“Even if I didn’t say anything, here are my people speaking and here are your boys speaking too,” he boasted.
Watch part of the released footage below.