Borno Government Denies Paying Ransom for Rescue of 360 Captives

The Borno State Government has denied claims that ransom was paid before 360 abductees were freed from a Boko Haram enclave in the Mandara Mountains, insisting the rescue came through a military operation backed by intelligence.

Usman Tar, commissioner for information and internal security, made the denial on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, a day after Operation HADIN KAI announced the rescue.

Government rejects ransom claims

“Who paid the ransom? And the ransom was paid to who? Where is the evidence?” Tar said, maintaining that troops acted on intelligence with support from the Department of State Services.

Operation followed military announcement

On Sunday, Operation HADIN KAI said special forces and Sector 1 troops rescued 360 people who had been held in harsh conditions after abductions from communities around the Ngoshe axis in southern Borno. The military said the mission followed weeks of intelligence gathering and planning.

Sources: Channels Television, Associated Press, Al Jazeera