The fresh account raises questions about the circumstances surrounding the release of the Woro victims and whether any form of payment or negotiation took place before they were freed.
The allegations come days after Nigerian security forces announced the release of more than 300 abducted Nigerians in what President Bola Tinubu described as the country's largest single-day hostage rescue operation.
Among those freed were 163 people abducted from Woro during the February attack on the community, alongside 145 other victims abducted largely from neighbouring Niger State.
During the mass abduction from the Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama LGA, Kwara State, 176 people, mostly women and children, were initially taken by terrorists.
When security operations led to their freedom, 163 victims were officially handed over and announced as rescued. Survivors recounted that 13 victims died during their nearly six months in captivity.
The captives endured harsh living conditions in the forest, severe hunger, often receiving only one meal a day, lack of medical care, and exposure to extreme weather before makeshift rain shelters were eventually erected.
The victims were reportedly recovered from the Kainji Lake National Park area following a joint operation involving the military, police and counter-terrorism personnel.
The Presidency described the operation as an intelligence-led security success, with President Tinubu commending the security agencies involved.
The rescued victims were subsequently taken for medical evaluation before being reunited with their families. Reports indicated that many of the former captives were in poor physical condition after spending months in the forest.
The government's account has, however, provided limited details about precisely how the captives were released, including whether negotiations took place with their captors or whether any money changed hands.
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