360 abductees freed through military operation, not ransom — Borno govt

The Borno State government has rejected claims that money was paid to secure the release of 360 people abducted from the Mandara Mountains area.

State officials said the victims were freed through a military operation, not through the payment of a ransom.

The Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief that the rescue was carried out following intelligence-led planning by the military, with support from the Department of State Services (DSS).

He questioned the ransom allegations, saying, “Who paid the ransom? And the ransom was paid to whom? Where is the evidence?”

Tar insisted that no payment was made.

“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 counterfacts, then you can pursue that.”

The military operation, conducted under Operation Hadin Kai, reportedly involved special forces and troops who acted on weeks of intelligence gathering and planning.

According to the military, the abductees, including men, women and children, were held in harsh conditions after being taken from several communities around the Ngoshe axis.

The group believed to be responsible is Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), a faction linked to Boko Haram.

The Mandara Mountains have long been used as a hideout by armed groups operating in the region.

Tar also said Boko Haram has evolved, describing it as a criminal network rather than an ideological movement.

“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 added that the government views the attackers simply as criminals and vowed to continue military operations against them.