Defence Minister Cautions Nigerians To Stop Paying Ransom To Kidnappers

Defence Minister, Mohammadu Abubakar Badaru

Crowdfunding Ransom Will Worsen Kidnapping, Defence Minister Warns Nigerians 

Minister of Defence, Mohammadu Abubakar Badaru, has urged Nigerians to stop the illegal payment of ransom to kidnappers and bandits.

The Federal Government has issued a warning, claiming that using public crowdfunding to pay ransoms for kidnapped victims will only make the abduction crisis worse.

Muhammad Abubakar Badaru, the Minister of Defense, revealed this to State House reporters on Wednesday following the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa that President Bola Tinubu chaired.

The warning is given in the context of rumors that Nigerians have raised more than N50 million via crowdfunding to cover the ransom required to free Mansoor Al-Kadriya's remaining five daughters. It will be remembered that on December 26, 2023, six siblings and their father were taken from their home in Bwari Council, Abuja.

The kidnappers killed Nabeeha, one of their daughters, last Friday because she did not raise the ransom, leaving five of them alive, even though their father was later freed to go and raise the ransom. Though the government is extremely concerned about the kidnappings, Badaru stated that paying ransoms with public funds will make the situation worse.

“We all know there's an existing law against the payment of ransom. So, it is very sad for people to go over the internet, radio asking for donations to pay ransom. This will only worsen the situation; it will not help,” Badaru said.

Badaru asked Nigerians not to publicly reply to demands for ransom, pointing out that the government's stance is to deprive kidnappers of the money that fuels their kidnappings. “The kidnapping will eventually become unprofitable if we stop, and they will cease. Although it is not simple, that is the law,” he remarked.

See Also: ‘Kidnappings In The Country Are Ungodly And Disturbing’ — President Tinubu

The minister claims that bandits escaping military operations in the North West and North Central zones are responsible for the recent kidnappings that have occurred in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) suburbs.

He gave his word that security services are searching for the bandits around the clock in order to stop more kidnappings. He remarked; “As you are aware, people are saying FCT, FCT, these kidnappings happen around the suburb, around now and locations that are bothering Kaduna and Niger. And this is as a result of the current operations going on in the northwest and some parts of the North Central.

“The bandits are fleeing and they are getting shelters around these areas, and the security agencies are working very hard to push them out, block the movement, and finish this thing once and for all. The president has given us the marching order and all the support that we need and what the security agencies need to end this thing.”