TheCable

The Boko Haram sect says many of the schoolgirls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno state, have been killed by Nigerian troops.

Two hundred and seventy six girls were kidnapped back in 2014, while 57 managed to escape, one was rescued after 756 days, and 218 have remained unaccounted for.

In a new video released – the third since the girls’ abduction – Boko Haram said many of the girls were killed during an attack on a location where they were kept.

At least 50 girls were seen in the new video, with an insurgent communicating in Kibaku, the native language in Chibok.

The insurgent boasted that the location of the girls had been unknown, despite efforts of the government.

“Greetings! This message is from the Jihad members led by Shekau. We want to give the parents of Chibok girls and the federal government a message,” he said.

“For about 2 years that they have been missing, some of them are still with us. Government should release our people who have been held hostage in Lagos and Abuja if they want the girls.

“The way the government is going about it is not right. If they do not release our members, we won’t release the girls.

“About 40 of them have been married off. Many of them have been killed as a result of bombs from military aircraft, and some of the girls have sustained injuries.

“God never allowed the infidels to know the location of the girls. You know we have them, but by God’s grace, you will never know where they are.”