The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has disclosed that the Federal Government did not pay ransom for the release of the Dapchi girls.
He added that though there was negotiation between the government and the group, no money was involved.
Islamist terror sect, Boko Haram had on February 19 stormed the Government Girls Science and Technical, College, Dapchi, Bursari LGA, Yobe, after which 110 students were declared unaccounted for.
But in a shocking move, the terrorists on Wednesday morning returned 105 girls to the town where they were abducted, with the remaining five presumed dead.
Many Nigerians however wondered the deal that the Federal Government had cut to secure the release of the girl, as many alleged that ransom running into millions had been paid to the group.
However, speaking with State House correspondents, Mohammed denied that money had exchanged hands.
Giving an insight into how the release was secured, the minister said, “The girls were released unconditionally, no money changed hands. They (Boko Haram insurgents) only had one condition – that they will return them to where they picked them. So, in the early hours of today, they did return the girls and most of them went to their parents homes.
“Like I said in the statement released to you early, once violence and confrontation was ruled out and negotiation started, there was a deliberate pause on the part of the military, in other words it was agreed that there will be no force, there will be no confrontation, that was why it was possible for them to drop the girls. It was part of the agreement that when they release the girls, there will be no violence or confrontation. And don’t forget that the lives of this children are much more important to us than any cheap victory.
“As of now I can confirm that 91 girls and one boy have been released. The event is developing. Many of the girls that were released were not dropped in one place. Some were dropped on the road and they went back naturally to their parents’ houses. They are now being asked to come and be documented at a center and as at five minutes ago, I was told 91 girls and boy had been documented.”
Speaking on how a boy came to be abducted in an all-girls school, Mohammed said, “I can tell you that is authentic. Whether they pick the boy or not I can’t hazard any guess but don’t forget even in a girl school, which is a boarding school there will be parents, they are teachers who can have children amongst them. But what I have been told is that 91 girls and one boy have been documented.”
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