Nigerian school kidnap victims 'married off'

The leader of Nigeria’s Islamic extremist group denies agreeing to a ceasefire and says more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls have all converted to Islam and been married off.

Abubakar Shekau dashed hopes for a prisoner exchange to get the girls released and says “in this war, there is no going back”.

He spoke in a video released late on Friday night.

Nigeria’s military chief announced two weeks ago that Boko Haram had agreed to an immediate ceasefire to end a five-year insurgency that has killed thousands and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes in north-east Nigeria.

But attacks and abductions have continued. Boko Haram’s kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls in April prompted an international protest campaign.