Papiri Abductions: Nigerian govt denies paying ransom to terrorists

The Nigerian government has rejected claims that it paid ransom to terrorists to secure the release of pupils abducted from St Mary Catholic School, Papiri in Agwara district of Niger State, last year.

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More than 300 pupils were abducted from the school by terrorists on Friday, 21 November 2025, and the government secured the release of over 100 of them unharmed on 7 December The remaining pupils were subsequently released later.

However, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported on Tuesday that the Nigerian government allegedly paid a “huge” ransom to Boko Haram and released two of its senior commanders to secure the pupils’ release.

The report quoted intelligence sources as saying the government flew a helicopter to Gwaza in Borno State to deliver ransom to a Boko Haram commander named Ali Ngulde.

Nigerian govt reacts

But the Nigerian government has rejected the claims and faulted the reporting.

In a statement, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the claims as “false and baseless reporting,” noting it constitutes a disservice to the professionalism and integrity of Nigeria’s security forces and the sacrifices they make daily.

He described as fictitious and laughable, the claim that ransom was delivered to insurgents by helicopter.

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“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,” Mr Idris said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, no ransom was paid, and no militant commanders were freed.”

The information minister maintained that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the State Security Services (SSS) and the National Assembly have all denied the ransom payment claims.

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He criticised the report and said it was filled with contradictions that “exposed its speculative character”.

“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,” he said.

“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.”