From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos with agency report
Following media reports making the round that the Cameroonian authorities had paid the Nigerian dreaded Boko Haram insurgents the sum of $400,000 ransom in order to secure the release of the wife of the Vice Prime Minister, Amodou Ali and other hostages, the Cameroonian government has denied the claim yesterday, saying it was not true.
The denial, which was made through the Cameroonian Minister of Information, Issa Bakare Chiroma on the Hausa Service of the BBC monitored in Jos, explained that the deal was done secretely by president Paul Biya, adding that the processes involved in the deal could not be revealed as it concerns security matter.
Chiroma said, “The government has not paid $400,000 ransom to Boko Haram insurgents for the release of the abductors. The president made the deal secretly and because it involved security issue he can come out to tell everything about it”.
When asked on the allegation that the government of Cameroon had also secretly gave bullets to the insurgents apart from the money, the minister said “ that was not true also.
“How would he (Biya) give weapons to his enemy to fighting with? “, he questioned.
On if not money or weapon was given for the release, what then was done? Chiroma responded that , “ Biya cannot say anything due to security reason. “
According to the BBC report however, this is the third time the Cameroonian government was rescuing people who have been abducted by the Boko Haram Insurgents without ransom, adding that Biya was reported to have said that the success of the rescue was as a result of the co-operation among security operatives and other individuals.
