The Federal Government has dismissed allegations that it paid ransom or released detained militants to secure the freedom of pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Boarding School in Niger State.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the claims as false and misleading, insisting that the rescue was achieved through intelligence-driven security operations.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no ransom was paid and no militant commanders were released,” Idris said.
“The narrative being circulated is completely baseless and unfair to the professionalism of our security agencies.”
The minister’s reaction followed a report by Agence France‑Presse, which quoted unnamed intelligence sources alleging that a large ransom — reportedly running into billions of naira — was paid to secure the pupils’ release.
According to the report, the money was allegedly transported by helicopter to a commander linked to Boko Haram in Gwoza, Borno State, while two detained militant leaders were also said to have been freed as part of the deal.
However, Idris rejected the claims, saying multiple government institutions had already denied any such arrangement.
“The Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, and the leadership of the National Assembly have all publicly refuted these allegations,” he stated.
“The conflicting figures and reliance on anonymous sources only expose the speculative nature of the report.”
He also dismissed as fictitious the suggestion that cash was delivered to insurgents by helicopter, noting that security agencies had labelled the claim “fake and laughable.”
The minister maintained that the pupils were freed through coordinated intelligence work and precise security operations carried out without casualties.
“The successful rescue demonstrates the effectiveness of our security forces and the importance of responsible reporting that does not embolden criminals or weaken troop morale,” Idris added.
He urged media organisations to verify sensitive security information thoroughly before publication to avoid spreading misinformation that could undermine national security efforts.
