The governor of Nigeria's Borno state has confirmed that the girls shown in the latest video released by militant Islamist group Boko Haram are students taken from the school in Chibok last month.
Nigeria's military says the video is bittersweet in that it proves the girls are still alive, but still very much in danger.
"I feel very sad for them because like us right now they supposed to be writing exams."
As students across Nigeria begin sitting their final exams this week, their thoughts are with the boarding-school girls kidnapped on April the 14th by Boko Haram.
This week the Islamist militant group released another video showing about 130 girls dressed in Muslim attire and reciting verses from the Koran.
The video sparked a surge in the protest movement with parents and relatives of the captives storming the lodgings of Borno's Governor.
Addressing the crowd, governor Kashim Shettima says the video is proof the students are alive.
"All the girls in that video were identified to be students of government secondary school Chibok and 36 of them were identified by name by their parents."
In the video, alleged Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau offered to swap the girls for imprisoned militants.
Nigerian authorities initially dismissed the offer, but now say the government will explore all options to end the crisis.
Cabinet minister Tanimu Turaki says the militants need to show they're serious about negotiating with the government by sending a team of leaders to the capital.
"We as a committee will sit down and deal with them on all issues comprehensively, because that is part of our mandate as a presidential committee to continue dialogue. So at the end of the day whatever we agree with them, including the issue of the Chibok abducted girls, we will report to the government."
Meanwhile the United States says negotiating with hostage-takers is against U-S policy.
The US government is supplying one of its surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to aid in the search, and is sending its top Africa general for talks on the rescue mission.
But Press Secretary Jay Carney says while US officials don't support paying ransoms or giving other concessions to militants, the US is not heading this investigation.
"When it comes to the approach to Boko Haram, in this case, Nigeria has the lead and we play a supporting role. It is the policy of the United States to deny kidnappers the benefits of their criminal acts and that includes ransoms or concessions."
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military has responded to claims that it had a four-hour warning before the attack on the boarding school took place.
Rights group Amnesty International says the Nigerian military knew about the attack well in advance and failed to act.
But a spokesman for the Nigerian Military, Major General Chris Olukalade has told C-N-N a surveillance team was sent to the school.
He says the government receives hundreds of calls a week warning of potential attacks.
"Considering the number of information we have every day and every year, you will not be surprised to hear that as I am talking to you we will be getting information about that centre, there are many warnings of attack but none has ever been ignored."
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