FG denies paying ransom for release of Niger school pupils

The Federal Government has strongly refuted allegations that it paid a ransom to secure the release of schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s boarding school in Niger State, describing such claims as false, baseless, and a disservice to the professionalism of Nigeria’s security forces.

The denial follows an investigation by Agence France-Presse (AFP) which alleged that Nigeria paid Boko Haram militants between N2 billion and N10 billion—or approximately $7 million—to free up to 230 pupils and staff kidnapped from the Catholic school in Papiri on November 21, 2025.

Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris, in a statement on Tuesday, described the claims attributed to unnamed international intelligence sources as a disservice to the professionalism of Nigeria’s security forces.

The government emphasized that the narrative, which has been circulating in sections of the media, was built on anonymous sources and lacked verifiable evidence.

“Nigeria is confronting a structured, profit-driven criminal enterprise. The successful rescue of the pupils, without casualty, was the result of professional intelligence and operational precision,” the statement rea.

The minister faulted the report, pointing out that the allegations relied entirely on anonymous “intelligence sources” and individuals “familiar with the talks,” in contrast to the on-the-record denials issued by constituted authorities.

The AFP investigation, which cited four intelligence sources, claimed that the money was delivered by helicopter to Boko Haram’s Gwoza stronghold in Borno State, near the Cameroon border, and that two Boko Haram commanders were released as part of the deal.

The Department of State Services had previously flatly denied paying any ransom, stating that “government agents don’t pay ransoms,” though it acknowledged that families sometimes make their own arrangements to secure releases.

While the government respects the freedom of the press, it rejects a narrative built on shadowy, unnamed sources seeking to undermine the credibility of a sovereign government acting within its laws.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to national security and urged media organizations to verify facts thoroughly before publishing reports that could embolden criminal elements or weaken troop morale.

The denial comes despite Nigeria having passed a law in 2022 that criminalizes ransom payments, prescribing a minimum 15-year prison sentence for anyone who “transfers funds, makes payment or colludes with an abductor, kidnapper or terrorist to receive any ransom.”

The St. Mary’s abduction was one of Nigeria’s most high-profile kidnapping incidents, with nearly 300 pupils and staff initially taken before at least 50 managed to escape. The children were held for two weeks before being released following negotiations reportedly led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

Nigeria continues to grapple with a kidnapping epidemic, with 828 abductions recorded in the past year alone—more than Mexico and Colombia combined—according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).