No Ransom Paid: Borno Govt Says 360 Hostages Freed Through Military Operation

The Borno State Government has dismissed claims that ransom was paid to secure the release of 360 hostages rescued from a Boko Haram enclave, stating that the victims were freed through a daring and precision-driven military operation.

The Borno State Government has categorically denied allegations that ransom was paid for the release of 360 abducted persons recently rescued from the Mandara Mountains, a known terrorist stronghold in the southern part of the state.

The State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, made the clarification on Monday during a televised interview. He insisted that the rescue was the direct result of a highly coordinated military offensive backed by intelligence from the Department of State Services (DSS), rather than a negotiated financial settlement with the captors.

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

The clarification follows an announcement by the Nigerian Army’s Operation Hadin Kai over the weekend, confirming the successful rescue of the captives from the Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad (Boko Haram) enclave.

According to the Acting Media Information Officer for Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Haruna Sani, the rescue mission was executed by Special Forces and troops of Sector 1 after weeks of covert reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, and detailed operational planning.

The military revealed that the freed victims—comprising men, women, and children—had been held in extremely harsh conditions after being abducted from several communities, particularly around the Ngoshe axis, earlier in March. Troops reportedly used psychological operations to sow mistrust within the insurgent ranks before launching the assault, forcing many terrorists to flee or surrender.

Tragically, military authorities confirmed that two infants died from exhaustion due to the harsh mountainous terrain and the severe conditions they endured during captivity.

"The remaining rescued abductees were successfully evacuated to safe locations for medical care and humanitarian support, marking a major operational success and a significant setback for the terrorist group," Lt. Col. Sani stated.

The operation has drawn widespread commendation from political leaders and security experts. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the rescue as a major relief to the victims and their families, while calling on authorities to deploy similar intelligence-driven efforts to secure the release of other kidnapped victims across the country, including the abducted schoolchildren in Oyo State.

The Borno State Government reiterated its stance that it considers Boko Haram and other armed factions as criminal organisations and maintains a strict no-ransom policy to avoid funding further terrorism. Follow-up clearance operations are reportedly ongoing in the Mandara Mountains to dismantle residual terrorist networks.