Boko Haram Used Chibok $50m Ransom To Buy Weapons To Attack Us’–military

It has been revealed by sources within the military that the ransom paid by the Federal Government for the release of the Chibok girls despite its denial has been used by Boko Haram to buy powerful weapons.

According to the sources, the recent ransom has contributed to the recent upsurge in the killings and disappearances of soldiers engaged in the fight against the insurgents, senior military sources have revealed.

The military men said despite denials by the Federal Government, money was paid to the sect to secure the release of the abducted girls.

It was learnt that the insurgents demanded for $50m for the release of the girls but about a quarter of the sum was eventually paid.

PUNCH learnt that the Federal Government paid the cash in two currencies – the naira and the CFA Francs to the leaders of the sect to facilitate the release of the girls.

But, the highly-ranked military men who are engaged in the war, and who craved anonymity because they were not authorised to speak for the military authorities, attributed the recent upsurge in the activities of the insurgents to the huge ransom paid for the release of the girls.

Before the current increase in the attacks by the insurgents, it was learnt that the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, deployed in the North-East, had effectively cut off food and logistics supply to the insurgents.

Some of the sources, who are also commanders at the war front, said that the troops had effectively defeated the Boko Haram members, who were on the run while a good number of them had surrendered and taken to a rehabilitation camp established by the Defence Headquarters in Yola.

“It is unfortunate that in government’s desperation to secure the release of the Chibok girls, it has put our (soldiers’) lives in danger by yielding to the demands of the group to collect a ransom and secure the release of its commanders.”

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