FG refutes payment of N2bn ransom to free students of St. Mary’s School, Niger State
Idris, Minister of Information
The federal government on Monday dismissed claims that it paid as much as a N2 billion ransom to secure the release of students of St. Mary’s School, Papiri, Niger State, describing the allegation as false and baseless.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the government insisted that its longstanding policy against ransom payments remains unchanged.
The government, which was reacting to a report by AFP amid a backlash from the opposition, maintained that recent rescue operations were carried out through coordinated security interventions, intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration, and not financial inducements.
But the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said any ransom payment by government actors, whether direct or through proxies, would be “shameful and troubling,” warning that such a move could legitimise criminality. The party called for full transparency on the circumstances surrounding the release of the victims.
Similarly, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) demanded a detailed briefing from security agencies, alleging that inconsistent communication from authorities was fuelling public suspicion. The party argued that even unverified reports of ransom payments risk sending a dangerous signal to armed groups operating across the country.
In a statement, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris, described the allegation that the federal government has been paying ransoms, especially in the case of the Papiri students in Niger state, as false and baseless.
Picking holes in the AFP report, the government noted that the story revealed contradictions that expose its speculative character, presenting sharply conflicting accounts regarding the alleged ransom.
“The attention of the federal government of Nigeria has been drawn to a publication circulating in the media, attributed to international wire services, alleging that the Nigerian Government paid a ‘huge’ ransom, including the release of militant commanders, to secure the freedom of the schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s boarding school in Niger State.
“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.
“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. For the avoidance of doubt, no ransom was paid, and no militant commanders were freed,” the federal government maintained.
According to the statement, the allegations relied entirely on anonymous “intelligence sources” and individuals “familiar with the talks,” in contrast to the clear and on-the-record denials issued by constituted authorities. The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the leadership of the National Assembly, it stressed , have all publicly refuted claims of ransom payment.
The federal government stated that the report itself reveals contradictions that expose its speculative character, presenting sharply conflicting accounts regarding the alleged ransom.
Such inconsistency, it pointed out, underscores a lack of direct knowledge and undermines the credibility of the claims, explaining that the assertion that ransom was delivered by helicopter to insurgents, with cross-border confirmation of receipt, is fiction. “The DSS has formally dismissed this claim as fake and laughable,” it stated.
The Bola Tinubu-led administration emphasised: “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 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.”
The St. Mary’s pupils and staff were freed after two weeks of negotiations led by Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), with the government insisting no ransom was paid.
