Three sources told French News Agency, AFP, that the government flew the money on an helicopter to Boko Haram’s stronghold in Gwoza, Northeastern Borno State, and delivered it to Ali Ngulde, a militant commander in the area.
Owing to network issues in the area, Ngulde had to enter Cameroon, a country the area shares a border with, to confirm receipt of the money. Afterwards, the terrorists released 100 children.
Although the exact ransom payment is unknown, the newspaper said that after the National Security Adviser’s (NSA) office negotiated for two weeks, sources in the intelligence department who are privy to the discourse told them that the terrorists demanded N40 million per head, amounting to $7 million, but others said the government eventually paid N2 billion.
AFP News says it has reached out to the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu for reactions, but no replies.
News reports that Kidnappers operating across Nigeria collected at least ₦2.57 billion in ransom payments from victims between July 2024 and June 2025.
The figure was disclosed in SBM Intelligence’s report, The Year Ahead at an Inflexion Point, released on Friday, December 19, which examined major security, political and economic trends shaping Africa in 2025.
According to the report, criminal groups demanded an estimated ₦48 billion in ransom during the 12-month period, although only a fraction of that amount was eventually paid by victims and their families.
The report found that at least 4,722 people were abducted in 997 kidnapping incidents across the country within the period under review. In addition, no fewer than 762 people were killed in attacks linked to banditry and related criminal violence.
The Northwest remained top in the number of kidnap for ransom incidents in Nigeria, contributing 425 cases, which is 42.6 per cent.
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