The Federal Government has firmly denied allegations that it paid more than N10 billion in ransom or released detained militant leaders to secure the freedom of pupils and staff abducted from St. Mary’s School, Papiri in Niger State.

Gunmen had stormed the school in December 2025, seizing about 300 students and 12 teachers in an attack that drew national outrage. The victims were freed on December 22, prompting widespread relief and renewed debate over Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, described reports of a multibillion-naira ransom payment and the release of two senior Boko Haram commanders as “false and baseless.”

“No ransom was paid. No detainees were released,” Idris said, dismissing claims attributed to unnamed intelligence sources in sections of the international media.

He argued that such allegations risk discrediting the efforts of Nigeria’s security agencies and demoralising troops engaged in counterinsurgency and anti-kidnapping operations. According to the minister, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, and the leadership of the National Assembly had all publicly refuted the claims.

Idris also rejected accounts suggesting that ransom funds were delivered by helicopter to insurgents, calling the narrative “fictitious, inconsistent, and detached from operational realities.”

He maintained that the release of the Papiri victims resulted from “coordinated intelligence and operational efforts,” adding that the government remains committed to dismantling what he termed a “structured, profit-driven criminal enterprise.”

“The media must verify facts before amplifying stories capable of emboldening criminals or undermining national security,” he warned.

ADC Demands Clarity

Despite the government’s rebuttal, the African Democratic Congress has called for greater transparency.

In a statement, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ADC had reviewed international reports alleging that over N10 billion was paid and that two insurgent commanders were released as part of negotiations.

The party recalled that shortly after the victims regained freedom, federal authorities and security agencies denied paying ransom. It cited remarks by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who reportedly described ransom payments as “one of the worst things” fueling insecurity.

Referencing the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 — which criminalises ransom payments and negotiations with terrorists — the ADC warned that any confirmed payment would raise grave concerns about terrorism financing, the rule of law, and national security.

“Nigeria cannot publicly discourage ransom payments while acting in a way that, if confirmed, rewards terror networks and incentivises further abductions,” the statement read.

The party urged the Federal Government to issue a categorical clarification addressing two key questions:

Whether any ransom was paid, directly or indirectly
Whether any detainees were released in connection with the Papiri abduction

According to the ADC, ambiguity or perceived inconsistency on the matter could erode public trust and complicate efforts to combat kidnapping and terrorism.

A Sensitive National Debate

The controversy underscores the delicate balance authorities face in responding to mass abductions — incidents that have become a persistent security challenge across parts of the country.

While the government insists the Papiri rescue was achieved without concessions to criminals, the allegations — and the opposition’s demands for clarity — have reignited public scrutiny over how Nigeria negotiates hostage crises.

For many Nigerians, the central question remains unchanged: how to protect lives without strengthening the financial and operational capacity of kidnapping networks.