The Federal Government has dismissed reports alleging that it paid N10 billion and released militant commanders to secure the freedom of abducted schoolchildren in Niger State, describing the claims as false and baseless.
In a press statement issued Tuesday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the Federal Government’s attention had been drawn to a media publication, attributed to international wire services, alleging that the government paid a “huge” ransom to facilitate the release of pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Boarding School in Niger State.
According to the minister, the allegations not only misrepresented the facts but also undermined the integrity and sacrifices of Nigeria’s security agencies.
“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,” Idris stated.
While affirming the government’s respect for press freedom, he rejected what he described as a narrative built on unnamed sources.
“While we respect the freedom of the press, we firmly reject a narrative built on shadowy, unnamed sources seeking to undermine the credibility of a sovereign government acting within its laws,” he said.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no ransom was paid, and no militant commanders were freed.”
The minister further noted that the claims relied entirely on anonymous “intelligence sources” and individuals described as being “familiar with the talks,” despite what he said were clear, on-the-record denials from relevant authorities.
He said the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, and the leadership of the National Assembly had all publicly refuted the allegation of ransom payment.
Idris also pointed to what he described as contradictions within the report itself.
“The report reveals contradictions that expose its speculative character, presenting sharply conflicting accounts regarding the alleged ransom. Such inconsistency underscores a lack of direct knowledge and undermines the credibility of the claims,” he said.
He dismissed as “fiction” the claim that ransom was delivered by helicopter to insurgents with cross-border confirmation of receipt, noting that the DSS had formally described the assertion as “fake and laughable.”
The minister stressed that Nigeria was confronting what he termed a structured, profit-driven criminal enterprise, adding that the successful rescue of the pupils was achieved without casualty through professional intelligence gathering and operational precision.
“The Federal Government remains unwavering in its commitment to security and urges the media to verify facts before publishing speculative reports that risk emboldening criminals or undermining troop morale,” he added.
