The Nigerian government paid Boko Haram militants a “huge” ransom of millions of dollars to free up to 230 children and staff the jihadists abducted from a Catholic school in November, an AFP investigation revealed Monday.
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Ajegunle Killing: Police Arrest Five, Declare Inspector Wanted
Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested five Police officers and declared an Inspector, Dania Ojo, wanted, for allegedly shooting dead a girl, Ada Ifeanyi, in the Apapa area of Lagos State.
One Emmanuel Akomafuwa was said to have sustained life-threatening injuries as a result of the shooting that killed the 20-year-old girl.
The policemen arrested were identified as: Inspector Adamu Usman, Sergeant Adeyeye Adeoye, Sergeant Kashim Tijani, Sergeant Lucky Akigbe and, Sergeant Paul Adeoye.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, said the Police officers were already facing internal disciplinary actions at the Command’s headquarters, adding that if found wanting, they would be prosecuted in conventional court for murder.
Elkana said in a Press statement, “The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Zubairu Muazu, has ordered the immediate arrest and detention of Police officers suspected to be involved in the shooting of Ada Ifeanyi, 20, of No. 4B, Amusa Lane, Off Ojo Road Ajegunle; and Emmanuel Akomafuwa, 32, of No. 52, Babatunde Street, Olodi Apapa, at Akpiri Street, Olodi Apapa.
“The incident happened on Saturday, April 13, 2019 around 7am.
“The victims were rushed to the hospital and Ada Ifeanyi was confirmed dead, while Emmanuel Akomafuwa is currently on admission, receiving treatment from the injury he sustained as a result of the shooting.
“Members of the team suspected to be involved in the shooting are from Trinity Police Station and are currently facing internal disciplinary proceedings at the Command’s Headquarters, Ikeja.
“Their rifles have been retrieved for forensic analysis by ballisticians. If found wanting, they will be prosecuted in conventional court for murder.
“The policemen arrested are: Inspector Adamu Usman, Sergeant Adeyeye Adeoye, Sergeant Kashim Tijani, Sergeant Lucky Akigbe and Sergeant Paul Adeoye; while Inspector Dania Ojo, who escaped immediately after the shooting incident, has been declared wanted by the Command.”
Elkana, who condemned the rate at which policemen have been involved in the killing of unarmed civilians, said CP Mu’azu had expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved family, adding that the Command, in its effort to rid the Force off ‘criminal elements,’ subjects any officer found culpable to disciplinary measures, dismissal and prosecution in a convention court.
The PPRO added, “Lagos State Police Command condemned in total these senseless killings of unarmed civilians by a few ‘bad eggs ‘ in the Command, who are bent on denting the image and reputation of the nation’s Police Force.
“The Command will not relent in its efforts in ridding the Force of these criminal elements.
“Those involved in extra-judicial killings and abuse of power are promptly identified, isolated, tried through internal disciplinary proceedings, dismissed from service and prosecuted in conventional Courts.
“Within the last one month, Lagos State Police Command has dismissed four policemen for abuse of power and awarded various degrees of punishments to 41 others.
“The four dismissed policemen were charged to court and remanded in prison custody.
“Our collective resolve in building a more humane, professional, dedicated, courageous and people-oriented Police Force is a task that must be done and together, we can make it a reality.
“The Commissioner of Police extends the Command’s deepest condolences to the family and friends of Ada Ifeanyi, and promised to foot the medical bills of Emmanuel Akomafuwa.
“The CP calls for calm, as the Command will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that justice prevails.”
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The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has resigned from office at the request of President Bola Tinubu, according to a report by PREMIUM TIMES.
A source in the presidency said Mr Egbetokun was asked to resign at a meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday.
Mr Egbetokun is to be replaced by Tunji Disu, an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG).
Although the plan has not been officially announced, sources in the presidency and the police headquarters told PREMIUM TIMES that preparations are underway for a formal handover ceremony from Mr Egbetokun to Mr Disu.
Mr Egbetokun was appointed by President Tinubu as the 22nd IGP on 19 June 2023. His substantive appointment was confirmed by the Nigeria Police Council on 31 October that year.
Appointed as IGP at the age of 58, Mr Egbetokun was due for retirement on 4 September 2024, upon reaching the mandatory age of 60.
However, the National Assembly amended the police law, allowing him to serve his full four-year term as IG unless removed by the president.
He was thus expected to complete his four-year tenure and remain in office until 31 October 2027.
Despite complaints by many Nigerians, the presidency explained that Mr Egbetokun remained in office legally, citing the amended Police Act 2024, which allows an appointed IGP to serve a fixed four-year term regardless of their age or years of service.
Mr Egbetokun’s tenure as IGP was marked by several controversies, including human rights abuses.
The presidency has yet to issue a statement confirming Mr Egbetokun’s removal. Calls to presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga and police spokesperson Ben Hundeyin did not go through at the time of this report. However, a source at the presidency said an official announcement would be made later on Tuesday
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AFP: How Tinubu’s Govt Paid Boko Haram ‘Huge’ Ransom, Released Two Terrorists for Kidnapped Saint Mary’s Pupils
Two Boko Haram commanders were also freed as part of the deal, which goes against the country’s own law banning payments to kidnappers. The money was delivered by helicopter to Boko Haram’s Gwoza stronghold in northeastern Borno state on the border with Cameroon, intelligence sources told AFP.
The decision to pay the militants is likely to irritate US President Donald Trump, who ordered air strikes on jihadists in northern Nigeria on Christmas Day and has been sent military trainers to help support Nigerian forces.
Nigerian government officials deny any ransom was paid to the armed gang that snatched close to 300 schoolchildren and staff from St. Mary’s boarding school in Papiri in central Niger state on November 21. At least 50 later managed to escape their captors.
Boko Haram has not been previously linked to the kidnapping, but sources told AFP one of its most feared commanders was behind the mass abduction: the notorious jihadist known as Sadiku.
He infamously held up a train from the capital in 2022 and netted hefty ransoms for the release of government officials and other well-off passengers.
Boko Haram, which has waged a bloody insurgency since 2009, is strongest in northeast Nigeria.
But a cell in central Niger state operates under Sadiku’s leadership. The St. Mary’s pupils and staff were freed after two weeks of negotiations led by Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, with the government insisting no ransom was paid. Nigeria’s State Security Service flatly denied paying any money, saying “government agents don’t pay ransoms”.
However, four intelligence sources familiar with the talks told AFP the government paid a “huge” ransom to get the pupils back. One source put it at 40 million naira per head – around $7 million in total.
Another put the figure lower at two billion naira overall. The money was delivered by chopper to Ali Ngulde, a Boko Haram commander in the northeast, three sources told AFP.
Due to the lack of communications cover in the remote area, Ngulde had to cross into Cameroon to confirm delivery of the ransom before the first group of 100 children were released.
Nigeria has long been plagued by mass abductions, with criminals and jihadist groups sometimes working together to extort millions from hostages’ families, and authorities seemingly powerless to stop them.
Source: Africanews
Former Vice President of Nigeria and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has raised alarm over the low voter turnout recorded in Saturday’s FCT Area Council elections.
Reacting to the exercise, Atiku described the turnout – averaging below 20 per cent, with the Abuja Municipal Area Council recording 7.8 per cent – as a damning verdict on the state of Nigeria’s democracy under the current administration.
According to him, such poor civic participation in the nation’s capital is not accidental but the result of “a political environment poisoned by intolerance, intimidation, and the systematic weakening of opposition voices.”
The Waziri Adamawa accused the Bola Tinubu-led government of shrinking the democratic space, harassing dissenters, and fostering a climate where alternative political views are treated as threats.
“When citizens lose faith that their votes matter, democracy begins to die,” he said. “This is not mere voter apathy. Democracy in Nigeria is being suffocated – slowly and dangerously.”
Atiku warned that continued erosion of participatory governance could cause lasting damage to the country’s democratic foundations and called on opposition parties to unite.
“This is no longer about party lines; it is about preserving the Republic. The time to stand together to rescue and rebuild Nigeria is now,” he added.
