Boko Haram were paid N500 million ($3.15 million) to free seven French hostages kidnapped in February, a confidential document from the Nigerian government available to Reuters states.
The insurgent group kidnapped the French hostages in Cameroon on February 19 near Wasa National Park in Northern Cameroon, which borders North-Eastern Nigeria.
The hostages, a family of seven including four children, are believed to have been brought into Borno State after the kidnap. They were released two months after the kidnap on April 19.
The document, according to Reuters, did not state who paid the ransom although French and Cameroonian authorities denied that any ransom was paid.
The Negotiations
Apart from the money the insurgents were paid, the document states, Cameroonian authorities also released some Boko Haram suspects in detention as part of the deal.
The sect had threatened, in a video released on YouTube in March, to kill the hostages unless Nigeria and Cameroon release some of its members in custody.
The report also states that Abubakar Shekau, the sect’s leader had asked for N1 billion to free the hostages but finally accepted half of the money, after agreeing to the release of his members in Cameroonian jails as part of the deal.
French President, Francois Hollande, denied that any ransom was paid when the hostages were released, same as Cameroonian authorities. No one has, however, said what got the insurgents to release the hostages.
Boko Haram is blamed for killings of several hundreds of people in Northern Nigeria and has claimed responsibility for several attacks.
Efforts to get the federal government to react to the report were unsuccessful. The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, and his spokesperson, Joseph Mutah, could not be reached as their telephone numbers were not reachable on Friday evening.
The spokespersons to the Nigerian President, Reuben Abati and Doyin Okupe, did not pick or return calls to their phone as at press time.
According to Reuters, the report suggests that the ransom was paid because officials did not want to endanger the lives of the hostages in a rescue attempt; after a rescue attempt last year March to save a Briton and an Italian hostage kidnapped by another Nigerian sect, Ansaru, led to the death of the hostages.
A rich Boko Haram
Apart from waging a war against the Nigerian Government, Christians and Muslims opposed to his terrorist acts, Boko Haram has also delved into kidnapping for ransom, largely to finance its operations.
Apart from kidnapping for ransom, the group also robs banks in Northern Nigeria to finance its operations.
PREMIUM TIMES had also exclusively reported how a security report sent to the Nigerian Presidency last year showed that Boko Haram got N40 million from an Algerian terrorist sect as part of a long term international terrorism collaboration.


Source: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131575-boko-haram-got-n500mn-to-free-french-hostages-report.html

The ransom will be used to buy gifts for the a 72 imaginary virgins in heaven.

PLS WHERE IS BOKO HARAM??

Hmmm... I'm sure much people will be against paying ransome.. I hope your family doesn't get tied down too.. Buh wah pains me is when our country's security is just being a toothless bulldog.. JTF is doing enough but they too are human.. Our Government is DAMN SICK. I wish the president was also on Nairaland.

Seems there aim of Islamizing Nigeria has been dropped.
Na kidnapping dey pay pass.
It is well with us in Naija.

bbpreye.:
.

So you done book space be that abi? eyh¡!¡! Funny people

I just hope kidnapping doesn't become legal when the weak government are totally worked out.

Someone please tell us how this ransom is paid. Is it by cahs, cheque,internet transfer, paga, nibbs, neft, pos, etc

chei...na to go begin forment trouble o...aint no gain being a law abiding citizen of this !@#$%^&*(

If not for the killing of innocent people and christians and southerners am in full support of BH. If the majority of northerners are in support of their agenda to implment sharia and other ideals in the north,then their rights shud be respected. The govt must start respecting the rights of people in this country. Those northern elites,hypocrites who are calling for amnesty and blackmailing the govt and southern nigeria,shud be the targets of boko haram and all right thinking nigerians. CHANGE IS WHAT WE NEED IN THIS FALSEHOOD MARKING ONE GHOSTLY CENTENARY NEXT YEAR.

If not for the killing of innocent people and christians and southerners am in full support of BH. If the majority of northerners are in support of their agenda to implment sharia and other ideals in the north,then their rights shud be respected. The govt must start respecting the rights of people in this country. Those northern elites,hypocrites who are calling for amnesty and blackmailing the govt and southern nigeria,shud be the targets of boko haram and all right thinking nigerians. CHANGE IS WHAT WE NEED IN THIS FALSEHOOD MARKING ONE GHOSTLY CENTENARY NEXT YEAR..

I on give a sh!t__fu(k Boko Boys

What the f.u.ckk? French govt are always indirectly funding terrorist by paying ransoms, every french nationale kidnapped by al-queada and its affiliates are always paid heavily by france to secure their release, meanwhile the always cry "wolf" and say the dont support paying of ransom! That was the same money those "crack-heads" used to finance the "baga encounter" with the army, which was reportedly the most weaponized of their operation since inception. To hell with the West, the are indirectly helping to retards and will accuse the military of not being able to stop attacks.
to be certain, the over exageration of the casualties figure at baga was a pre calculated attempt to divert the public from the obvious truth that their funds funded those attacks, i keep wondering why the were keeping sattelite imagery logs on baga,NIGERIA with a non-nigerian satellite? You may Call it spying or espionage, bt i call it a HOAX

What is ransome?

Caracta: What is ransome?

The surname of Kuti

PHIPEX: The surname of Kuti

make dm pay

PHIPEX: The surname of Kuti

lol @ surname of kuti crazy dude....

PHIPEX: The surname of Kuti

Errrm...why is Boko Haram collecting "the surname of Kuti"

Its natin new dia exist 3 types of BokoHaram viz,political bokoharam,religious bokoharam nd criminal bokoharam na dem d do kidnappin

Probably, dat is d new instruction 4rm ALLAH.

Charge an bell!

I said it before does guys are criminal they are up 2 somthing d just pretend as if they are fightin for somthin

DJDOLA: I said it before does guys are criminal they are up 2 somthing d just pretend as if they are fightin for somthin

gbagaun

Rexxie: If not for the killing of innocent people and christians and southerners am in full support of BH. If the majority of northerners are in support of their agenda to implment sharia and other ideals in the north,then their rights shud be respected. The govt must start respecting the rights of people in this country. Those northern elites,hypocrites who are calling for amnesty and blackmailing the govt and southern nigeria,shud be the targets of boko haram and all right thinking nigerians. CHANGE IS WHAT WE NEED IN THIS FALSEHOOD MARKING ONE GHOSTLY CENTENARY NEXT YEAR.

BH did not only kill christians,muslims too.what of d attack on the emir of kano and sheik gummi are they not muslims.

adewal15: Hmmm... I'm sure much people will be against paying ransome.. I hope your family doesn't get tied down too.. Buh wah pains me is when our country's security is just being a toothless bulldog.. JTF is doing enough but they too are human.. Our Government is DAMN SICK. I wish the president was also on Nairaland.

Just too damn sick...those holding power in government don't have that mental strenght nor intelligence to sit down,strategize and find solutions to the numerous problems we facing as a nation' All they know how to do best is loot,waste money at expensive clubs,chase 'big gals' in town and use sss guyz to witchhunt thier political enemies.
And all u boko sympathisers,may God help u all cos when this terror starts to spread all over the country,hell on earth would just be an understatement for u guyz'

They have been doing that from the onset, they are racketeerers like the politicians. That is what's all about, not islamic bull perse.

bbpreye.:
PLS WHERE IS BOKO HARAM??

Take a bus tell the driver you're going to Borno State by the time you get to Maiduguri you would know where BOKO HARAM is. #Thank me later for the directions#

Maga don pay,mumu government

money ko, ego ni