Boko Haram used Chibok ransom to buy powerful weapons – Military sources

The recent ransom paid to Boko Haram in exchange for the release of some Chibok girls have 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 told Saturday PUNCH that 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.
Saturday 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.

Prior to 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.

Punch, November 12, 2016

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