Borno Govt Denies Ransom Payment In Rescue Of 360 Abductees

The Borno State Government has dismissed reports alleging that ransom was paid before the release of 360 abductees from the Mandara Mountains, a known terrorist enclave in the southern part of the state.

The position of the government was conveyed by Usman Tar, Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Monday.

On Sunday, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) announced the rescue of the abductees from the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) enclave.

In a statement, Acting Media Information Officer of OPHK, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna Sani, said the operation involved Special Forces and troops of Sector 1 and was carried out after weeks of intelligence gathering, covert reconnaissance, and detailed operational planning.

He added that the victims—men, women, and children—were held in harsh conditions after being abducted from several communities, particularly around the Ngoshe axis.

Speaking on the programme, Tar maintained that the rescue was purely intelligence-driven and executed with precision by the military, with support from the Department of State Services (DSS).

“Who paid the ransom? And the ransom was paid to who? Where is the evidence?” he queried.

“We are the operatives on the ground. There was no ransom payment. There was a daring military operation with intelligence support from the DSS that led to the rescue of the 360 citizens. That is the fact on the ground. If there are any counter facts, then you can pursue that.”

The commissioner further argued that the Boko Haram insurgency has evolved beyond its original ideological foundation into a criminal enterprise driven by abduction and exploitation.

“The Boko Haram insurgency started as a result of the ideological mindset of a few individuals who started the campaigns,” he said.

“But those individuals have gone. The Boko Haram insurgency has since transmuted into a big business. So that is what is going on right now. And there is no other explanation.”

He noted that although public discourse allows for differing interpretations of Boko Haram’s activities, the state government maintains that the group consists of criminals intent on terrorising civilians.

“As far as we are concerned, we are dealing with criminals, who are out to vandalise, criminalise and terrorise our people, and we are not going to rest on our oars,” he said.