The Federal Government has dismissed reports claiming that it paid a ransom and released militant commanders to secure the freedom of schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s boarding school in Niger State, describing the allegations as false and unfounded.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the reports attributed to international wire services were based on shadowy, unnamed sources” and undermined the professionalism of Nigeria’s security agencies.
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“For the avoidance of doubt, no ransom was paid, and no militant commanders were freed,” Idris said.
He added that the allegations constituted a disservice to the professionalism and integrity of Nigeria’s security forces and the sacrifices they make daily.
The minister noted that the claims relied entirely on anonymous “intelligence sources” and individuals described as “familiar with the talks,” despite public, on-the-record denials by relevant authorities.
According to him, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, and the leadership of the National Assembly have all refuted the allegation that any ransom was paid.
Idris also pointed to what he described as internal contradictions in the reports, saying they presented “sharply conflicting accounts” of the alleged ransom arrangement. “Such inconsistency underscores a lack of direct knowledge and undermines the credibility of the claims,” he said.
He specifically dismissed assertions that ransom was delivered by helicopter to insurgents, with cross-border confirmation of receipt. “This claim is fiction,” the minister said, adding that the DSS had formally described it as fake and laughable.
According to the Federal Government, the rescue of the abducted pupils was achieved through intelligence-led operations without any casualties.
Idris said Nigeria was confronting a structured, profit-driven criminal enterprise” and that the successful operation reflected “professional intelligence and operational precision.”
The government urged media organisations to verify information before publication, warning that speculative reporting could embolden criminals and undermine troop morale.
