Nigeria paid Boko Haram ransom for kidnapped pupils: AFP investigation
Nigerian Government's Ransom Payment to Boko Haram
Nigerian Government's Ransom Payment to Boko Haram
An investigation has revealed that the Nigerian government paid a substantial ransom to Boko Haram militants to secure the release of approximately 230 children and staff abducted from a Catholic school in November. Two Boko Haram commanders were also released as part of the agreement, which contravenes national legislation prohibiting payments to kidnappers. Intelligence sources reported that the ransom was delivered via helicopter to Boko Haram's stronghold in Gwoza, Borno State, near the Cameroon border.
Despite these reports, Nigerian government officials have denied that any ransom was paid for the release of the kidnapped individuals from St. Mary's boarding school in Papiri, Niger State, on November 21. During the incident, at least 50 individuals managed to escape.
Two Boko Haram commanders were also released as part of the agreement, which contravenes national legislation prohibiting payments to kidnappers.
While Boko Haram had not been previously associated with this kidnapping, sources indicate that one of its commanders, Sadiku, orchestrated the abduction. Sadiku has a history of high-profile kidnappings and ransom demands, including an incident involving a train from the capital in 2022.
Four intelligence sources confirmed that a substantial ransom was paid, with estimates ranging from 40 million naira per individual to a total of two billion naira. The funds were reportedly delivered to Ali Ngulde, a Boko Haram commander in the northeast. Due to communication challenges in the remote area, confirmation of the ransom's receipt required crossing into Cameroon.
Nigeria continues to face challenges with mass abductions, as both criminal and jihadist groups collaborate to extract significant ransoms from hostages' families, with authorities struggling to intervene effectively.
Based on reporting by Africanews.
