Nigeria Paid Millions of Dollars in Ransom to Boko Haram: Reports | Firstpost Africa
This is an AI-generated summary and has not been vetted by the Firstpost editorial team
The Nigerian government is under scrutiny following allegations that it paid a massive ransom to secure the release of nearly 230 students and staff kidnapped from St. Mary’s Boarding School in central Niger state. While National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu insisted that no money changed hands, investigative reports suggest millions of dollars and the release of two Boko Haram commanders were part of a secret deal. This controversy erupts as Nigeria grapples with a burgeoning “kidnap-for-profit” industry and a 2022 law that criminalises ransom payments. This comes as US President Donald Trump has accused the Tinubu administration of failing to protect Christian citizens and threatened military intervention.
