PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, March 13, restated his earlier insistence to security agencies and the Ministry of Defence that on no account should ransom be negotiated or paid by government to kidnappers, bandits or any criminal elements for the release of abducted persons.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said this while briefing journalists at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, following reported demands for a huge sum of money by kidnappers of over 250 schoolchildren in Kaduna State on March 7 for their release.
There have been reports of negotiation and possible payment of ransom to the bandits for the release of the victims, aged between five and 16 years, but Idris stated: “In Council today, Mr. President reiterated his directive to the security agencies and the Ministry of Defence to ensure that those kids that have been abducted by these criminal gangs are brought back to their homes safely.
“And Mr. President has also reiterated his zero tolerance for payment of ransom. That was also mentioned by Mr. President at the Council today. So, the security agencies are working round the clock.
“These children and people that have been abducted by criminal elements would be brought back to safety pretty soon. The security agencies are working hard in that direction and Mr. President has also directed that no ransom will be paid by government to any of these criminal elements. It is important that it will be put out there.”
On the resurgence of kidnapping in the country, Idris said: “You’re also asking about the apparent surge in this kidnapping across the country. It is true that some of these are happening, we have seen what has happened in Kaduna, Borno and then in Sokoto states.
“Of course, government is watching that very closely and not just watching, also ensuring that security agencies are taking proactive steps to ensure that this is halted significantly.
“Like I said, Mr. President has said that it is an unacceptable situation and government will not condone abductions or kidnappings or any kind of criminality in that direction. We’re seeing this happening and government is taking very proactive steps, first to mitigate that, and also to stop the spread.
“We are seeing that the more the security agencies are also hitting these targets or criminals, the more they are pushed to also getting some soft targets. But government is not taking any excuses.
“The President has directed that security agencies must, as a matter of urgency, ensure that these children and all those who have been kidnapped are brought back in safety and also in the process to ensure that not a dime is paid for ransom.
“So, it’s important to underscore that government is not paying anybody any dime and the government is optimistic that these children and other people that have been abducted will be brought back to their families in safety.”
SBM Intelligence, a Nigerian risk management consulting firm, reported 3,620 kidnappings from July 2022 to June last year, and 4,777 kidnappings recorded since Tinubu took office.
