Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal Government has dismissed as false allegations that it paid ransom to militant commanders to secure the release of schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Boarding School in Niger State.
In a statement made available to Okay News on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the claims as baseless and a disservice to the professionalism and integrity of Nigeria’s security forces.
Idris said no ransom was paid and no militant commanders were freed in connection with the rescue of the pupils. He added that the allegations relied on anonymous intelligence sources and unnamed individuals, contrary to official denials issued by constituted authorities.
According to him, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the leadership of the National Assembly have all publicly refuted the claims of ransom payment.
The minister reiterated the government’s position that the release of the students was achieved through the efforts of security agencies, maintaining that the administration remains committed to combating insecurity without compromising national policy against ransom payments.
