The Federal Government of Nigeria has firmly denied allegations that it paid a substantial ransom or released militant commanders to secure the release of schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic boarding school in Papiri, Niger State, last November. In a statement issued by the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, fnipr, the government described the claims—circulating in media reports attributed to international wire services—as “completely false and baseless.” The allegations, reportedly based on anonymous “intelligence sources” and individuals “familiar with the talks,” suggested that a “huge” ransom…

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