Mohammed refuted the claim that ransom was paid for the release of Dapchi schoolgirls saying it’s a mere conjecture without evidence. Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has denied claims that the Federal Government paid a ransom to get Dapchi schoolgirls released from Boko Haram’s captivity.Mohammed refuted the claim saying it’s a mere conjecture without evidence to support its authenticity.In a statement on Thursday, August 16, 2018, the minister said ”It is not enough to say that Nigeria paid a ransom, little or huge. There must be a conclusive evidence to support such claim.“Without that, the claim remains what it is: a mere conjecture.” Earlier, the United Nations had claimed in a report that the Nigerian Government paid a huge ransom to Boko Haram for the release of the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls.ALSO READ: Kidnapped Dapchi schoolgirl speaks to her mother in a dreamRed Cross says it wasn’t involved in Boko Haram negotiationsThe International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said that it was not involved in negotiating the release of the Dapchi and Chibok school girls.According to the Red Cross, reports saying that it was involved in the negotiations for the release of the abducted girls are false.This was made known to newsmen by the Communication Coordinator of ICRC Nigeria, Aleksandra Mosimann.Mosimann said that the international organization only played a neutral role as an intermediary.On Monday, February 19, 2018, Boko Haram invaded Government Girls Secondary School in Dapchi, Yobe state and kidnapped over 100 girls.Also, in April 2014, the sect raided Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno state and kidnapped over 200 girls.
