Tinubu Government Reportedly Paid N2bn Ransom To Boko Haram Terrorists For St Mary’s Pupils’ Release
The Bola Tinubu-led government has reportedly paid N2 billion to Boko Haram terrorists who demanded $7 million in exchange for 230 pupils and staff of St Mary’s Catholic School kidnapped in November.
In a report by Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), multiple intelligence sources recently revealed this to AFP.
The report also claims that the government agreed to release Boko Haram commanders as part of the deal.
On December 22, 2025, Nigerian officials celebrated what they described as rescue efforts that led to the return of the pupils and staff of St Mary’s, but this report claims that the true narrative was quite different.
Three sources told AFP that the government flew the money on a helicopter to Boko Haram’s stronghold in Gwoza, northeastern Borno State, and delivered it to Ali Ngulde, a militant commander in the area.
Owing to network issues in the area, Ngulde had to enter Cameroon, a country the area shares a border with, to confirm receipt of the money. Afterwards, the terrorists released 100 children.
The mass abduction occurred on November 21, 2025, in Papiri, central Niger State, with almost 300 victims. About 50 of them escaped during the kidnapping.
The government has never admitted to paying anything to the terrorists who have taken credit for several terror attacks in the country, including the infamous Chibok abduction in 2014.
FIJ further explained that although the exact ransom payment is unknown, the newspaper said that after the National Security Adviser’s (NSA) office negotiated for two weeks, sources in the intelligence department who are privy to the discourse told them that the terrorists demanded N40 million per head, amounting to $7 million, but others said the government eventually paid N2 billion.
The NSA’s office refused to respond to AFP’s questions, and the State Security Service (SSS) simply said that the government does not pay ransoms.
The incident occurred amid public statements by Donald Trump about genocide against Christians in Nigeria, and the US’ resolve to intervene. A month later, the US bombed an area in Sokoto State.
