Federal govt of Nigeria denies paying ransom to Boko Haram for release of Niger schoolchildren

The Federal Government of Nigeria has refuted reports alleging that it paid a multimillion-dollar ransom and released detained militant commanders to secure the freedom of pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Boarding School in Niger State.

An earlier report by AFP claimed that authorities paid a substantial sum to facilitate the release of 230 pupils and staff kidnapped from St. Mary’s Secondary and Primary School in Papiri on November 21. Nearly 300 individuals were initially taken during the attack, with at least 50 later escaping, according to the Niger State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna.

Citing unnamed intelligence sources, AFP further alleged that two Boko Haram commanders were freed as part of the deal and that ransom funds were transported by helicopter to Gwoza in Borno State.

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However, in a statement issued Tuesday, Minister of Information Mohammed Idris dismissed the allegations as “false and baseless,” faulting the report for relying on anonymous sources.

“For the avoidance of doubt, no ransom was paid, and no militant commanders were freed,” Idris said, insisting that the claims undermine the professionalism and sacrifices of Nigeria’s security forces.

He noted that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the leadership of the National Assembly had all publicly denied the ransom payment claims.

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The minister also described as fictitious the assertion that ransom money was airlifted to insurgents, adding that the DSS had labelled the claim “fake and laughable.”

According to the government, the successful rescue of the abducted pupils was achieved through coordinated intelligence efforts and operational precision, without the payment of ransom.

The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to tackling insecurity and urged media organisations to verify information before publishing reports that could embolden criminal groups or weaken public confidence in security institutions.

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