Nigeria government denies report it paid 'huge' ransom to Boko Haram to free St Mary's pupils
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- Nigeria's government has denied reports that it paid a large ransom to Boko Haram to secure the release of over 200 pupils and staff abducted from St Mary's Catholic boarding school in November, calling the allegations "completely false and baseless."
- Information Minister Mohammed Idris rejected claims that two Boko Haram commanders were freed as part of the deal and said the successful rescue was due to professional intelligence and operational precision.
- The AFP report alleged ransom payments totaling around 2 billion naira (approximately $1.5 million) were made, but Nigerian authorities called these claims fiction and emphasized the complexity of the kidnapping and rescue operations.
- Police chief Kayode Egbetokun resigned for family reasons and was replaced by his deputy, Tunji Dis
