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Boko Haram Rejected The Payment Of Ransom For The Release Of Leah Sharibu – Govt Sources
The Boko Haram terrorist group rejected the ransom offered by the Federal Government to secure the release of Leah Sharibu, sources at the Presidency revealed.
Sharibu, a schoolgirl, is the only Dapchi Schoolgirl still held hostage out of the 110 kidnapped by the Boko Haram terrorist group from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, in 2018.
The sources said that the money was ready to be delivered when the terrorists, who had made the request for a specific amount totalling millions of Naira in hard currency, changed their minds and rejected any ranson.
They said the Federal Government reached an agreement after a long communication procedure as the channels of communication between top security agents of the government, third parties and the terrorists at times took more than a month to complete one line of messages back and forth.
One of the sources said: “while the Federal Government remains strongly committed to securing the release of Leah and all other identified and unidentified abductees, by any means necessary, the terrorists chose much earlier after Leah’s abduction to use her to fan religious embers and cause devastating division in the country. And that was why the terrorists rejected the ransom government security agencies prepared to pay for Leah’s release.”
The source said that top Presidential Officials still encouraged the Federal Government officials to remain actively engaged with the channels of communication with the negotiators until a positive resolution is secured “because the President has set a firm target and resolve to ensure the freedom of Leah and others by any means necessary.”
Meanwhile, a security expert, Salihu Bakhari, in a chat said the Federal Government must renegotiate with the terrorists because Leah Sharibu’s abductors “know that the attention of the world is on the girl.
“The girl is an expensive captive and her case is complicated considering the fact that she was not released alongside other girls abducted from Dapchi.
“The world will accuse the Federal Government of not doing the right thing if the girl remains in captivity.
“The terrorists know her worth and will use it to their maximum advantage. They know government is involved in the negotiation; she is therefore not an ordinary captive.
“However, one thing is certain: they will not kill her, but they will also not release her easily.
“They have provided a proof of life and most importantly, she is in the hands of ISWAP, not Shekau and therefore, elaborate negotiation will work out. They are not using her as highly priced captive only, but also a human shield. I suggest that government should not back out from the process. They should negotiate more not necessarily by giving more money, but by using other available options”.
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the planned increase in electricity and telecom tariffs as unconscionable.
The statement comes after the telecoms regulator last week approved the increase in mobile tariffs.
The federal government also recently said that plans were ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months.”
However, Sani, who said the government’s plan is unreasonable, insisted that it should be halted.
The ex-lawmaker also expressed his support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the scheduled protest against the government’s proposal, calling it a welcome development.
“The planned increase in electricity tariffs in the midst of poor power supply and the proposal to increase telecom tariffs is unconscionable and should be halted. The scheduled labour union protest is a welcome development,” he posted on X.
The United States President, Donald Trump, has revealed his decision to cut off all future funding to South Africa, citing poor treatment of “certain classes of people.”
Trump made this known on Sunday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
According to Trump, South Africa was seizing land and mistreating some citizens without concern for the violations of their rights.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.
Reports suggest that the American leader may be defending White South Africans, some of whom have alleged that the South African policy is unfair to them.
There are indications that the federal government will on Monday meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to stop the planned Tuesday nationwide protest against the 50 percent telecommunications tariff hike.
A reliable source familiar with the matter, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this on Monday morning, noting that the meeting between the NLC leadership and the federal government is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday.
The source said the meeting was a “dialogue on matters of national interest as it affects Nigerian workers.”
According to the source, it will be an inter-ministerial meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), purposely to resolve issues raised by the NLC concerning the federal government’s approved upward adjustment to telecommunications tariffs, which the NLC, its allies, and others are vehemently opposing.
This comes as the NLC is already mobilizing workers for a mass protest tomorrow (February 4) against the 50 percent tariff hike approval.
On Thursday last week, in a letter to affiliate unions and state councils, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja urged them to mobilize other Nigerians to send a serious message to the government.
The planned protest follows the 50 percent telecom tariff approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on January 20, 2025.
The approval had sparked widespread rejection among telecom subscribers.
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