The government of President Bola Tinubu paid a ransom of about N10 billion and released two top Boko Haram commanders to secure the release of St. Mary’s pupils, AFP reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
More than 300 pupils and staff were kidnapped last November.
The report published on Monday alleged that the Nigerian government paid Boko Haram militants a ‘huge’ ransom of millions of dollars to free up to 230 children and staff the Islamic extremists kidnapped from a Catholic school in November.
In addition to the ransom paid in millions of dollars by the Tinubu government, the media outlet noted that two Boko Haram commanders were also freed as part of the deal, which goes against the country’s own law banning payments to kidnappers.
Citing two sources, AFP stated that “the total ransom at N40 million per head — around $7 million in total”, while “another put the figure lower at N2 billion overall”.
The $7 million reportedly covered the 230 schoolchildren and an unspecified number of teaching staff, figures that vary among official sources. At a dollar rate of N1,400, the total ransom amounts to about N9.8 billion.
The president’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
However, according to the report, the National Security Adviser Ribadu’s office insisted he had, several times, secured the release of hostages without paying a ransom to bandits.
On December 21, 2025, the Nigerian government announced the release of 130 schoolchildren and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger, kidnapped by bandits on November 20.
Fifty of the pupils had earlier escaped between November 21 and 22.
Then, on December 7, the government announced that it had secured the release of 100 of the kidnapped schoolchildren.
Since Mr Tinubu assumed power, hundreds of abductions and killings have taken place.
Prior to the Catholic school pupils’ abduction, 25 young girls from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Kebbi were abducted by bandits.