Intelligence sources say the Nigerian government paid a substantial ransom to Boko Haram militants to secure the release of up to 230 children and staff abducted from a Catholic boarding school in November, in a deal that reportedly contravenes the country’s anti-ransom laws.
According to an AFP investigation, multiple intelligence sources told the news agency that the federal government transferred **a “huge” sum of money — possibly running into billions of naira — to militants to free the captives seized from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State.
The victims were taken during a late-night raid on November 21, 2025, when armed gunmen stormed the school, abducting hundreds of pupils and several staff members. At least 50 of the captives escaped on their own, and later negotiations led to the eventual release of others.
Sources familiar with the negotiations said the ransom may have been paid via helicopter to Boko Haram’s stronghold in Gwoza, northeastern Borno State, near the Cameroon border. The cash was allegedly delivered to Ali Ngulde, a key operational commander within the jihadist group.
Because communication networks are sparse in the remote forest strongholds where the hostages were held, Ngulde reportedly had to cross into neighbouring Cameroon to confirm receipt of the payment before the first group of children were released.
Intelligence officials quoted by AFP estimated the ransom in different ways: one source said about 40 million naira (around $7 million) was paid, while others said the total might have reached as high as 2 billion naira, though figures vary.
In return for the captives’ freedom, the sources also claimed that two senior Boko Haram commanders were released as part of the arrangement — a revelation likely to raise concern both domestically and internationally.
The reported payment and prisoner release come despite Nigeria having passed laws in 2022 criminalising the payment of ransoms to kidnappers and terrorist groups, with penalties reaching up to 15 years in prison.
Government officials have denied that any ransom was paid. A spokesperson for Nigeria’s State Security Service told AFP that “government agents don’t pay ransoms,” insisting that the releases were achieved through negotiation without financial settlements.
The office of the National Security Adviser, which coordinated the talks, also declined to respond to repeated requests for comment on whether any funds were exchanged during the release process.
Security analysts note that, even with legal prohibitions, ransom payments — especially in high-profile abductions — are often made indirectly or through intermediaries to secure the safe return of hostages. Families of kidnapped victims frequently raise funds privately, and sometimes security personnel act as go-betweens in delivering payments during negotiations, sources told AFP.
Nigeria has been grappling with a sharp rise in kidnappings for ransom, with jihadist groups and criminal gangs increasingly targeting schools, villages, religious gatherings and travellers. The conflict has transformed parts of northern Nigeria into zones where abduction is a highly lucrative enterprise, according to recent security reports.
The alleged ransom payment — and the accompanying release of militant commanders — is expected to stir controversy, given its potential legal and ethical implications. It has also drawn attention amidst international scrutiny of Nigeria’s handling of insurgent and extremist threats.
The abducted children’s release was publicly celebrated by authorities at the end of December 2025, with government officials and church representatives reporting that the remainder of the pupils and staff had been freed and reunited with their families.
However, the exact mechanisms of their release remain a subject of conflicting narratives, with AFP’s investigation underscoring persistent disputes over whether financial payments were involved in securing their freedom.
As security challenges continue to deepen across different parts of Nigeria, the issue of ransom payments — and how governments negotiate with violent non-state actors — remains at the centre of debates over national policy and counter-terrorism strategy.
