The Federal Government has dismissed reports alleging that ransom was paid or militant commanders were released to secure the freedom of pupils abducted from St Mary’s Boarding School in Niger State.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, described the allegations as “completely false and baseless”.
He said the claims undermine the professionalism and sacrifices of Nigeria’s security forces.
According to him, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Department of State Services (DSS) and the leadership of the National Assembly had already publicly debunked the reports.
Idris pointed to what he described as glaring inconsistencies in the account, including conflicting versions of how the alleged ransom was delivered.
“The assertion that ransom was delivered by helicopter to insurgents, with cross-border confirmation of receipt, is fiction,” he said, adding that the DSS had dismissed the claim as fake and laughable.
The minister stressed that Nigeria is battling a structured, profit-driven criminal enterprise, insisting that the safe rescue of the pupils was achieved through coordinated intelligence and operational precision.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to safeguarding lives and maintaining a zero-tolerance stance on ransom payments.
