Information Minister Mohammed Idris issued a formal statement in Abuja hours after an AFP report cited unnamed sources alleging that a "huge” ransom was paid to the insurgent group. Idris said the release of the students and school employees was achieved through "professional intelligence and operational precision,” crediting Nigeria’s security agencies for what he described as a coordinated rescue effort.

"The Federal Government states that these allegations are completely false and baseless, and constitute a disservice to the professionalism and integrity of Nigeria’s security forces and the sacrifices they make daily,” Idris said.

The November abduction at St. Mary’s co-educational boarding school in north-central Niger state ranks among Nigeria’s largest mass kidnappings, underscoring persistent security challenges in regions beyond the country’s northeast insurgency epicenter. Authorities had announced the safe recovery of the victims weeks after the incident but released limited operational details, citing security concerns.

Nigeria has long maintained a policy against negotiating with or paying ransom to terrorist groups, arguing that such payments embolden further attacks. However, past kidnappings across the country have sparked debate over whether informal payments or third-party negotiations occur behind the scenes.

Security analysts say transparency around rescue operations remains critical for public trust, particularly as mass abductions increasingly target schools. The government has not disclosed whether arrests were made or whether military force was used in the operation.

Boko Haram, which has waged an insurgency since 2009, has previously carried out high-profile school kidnappings, including the 2014 Chibok abduction.