The Federal Government has denied allegations that it paid ransom to secure the release of dozens of children and staff abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State by Boko Haram militants.
The mass kidnapping, which took place in November, was one of the largest abductions recorded in the country in recent times.
The government’s reaction followed an investigative report by AFP published on Tuesday, which alleged that authorities secretly channelled millions of dollars to the jihadist group and released two of its commanders as part of negotiations to free the victims.
Responding to the claims, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, dismissed the report as untrue.
He maintained that the rescue of the students and staff was achieved through “professional intelligence and operational precision,” not through ransom payments or concessions.
“The Federal Government states that these allegations are completely false and baseless, and constitute a disservice to the professionalism and integrity of Nigeria’s security forces and the sacrifices they make daily,” the minister said.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to combating terrorism and safeguarding citizens without negotiating with extremist groups.
