Minister of Defence, Muhammadu Badaru, in a powerful statement, has called on Nigerians to cease the illegal practice of paying ransom to kidnappers and bandits.
Speaking after the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, Badaru emphasised that such payments only empower criminals and escalate the threat to public safety.
Highlighting the President’s directive to intensify efforts against criminal perpetrators, Badaru is quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to have disclosed, “Yesterday, we are aware that Mr. President called us and all the service chiefs to discuss this issue. So, concerted efforts are being made by security to stop it immediately.”
Addressing the specific locations affected, he explained, “As you are aware, people are saying FCT, FCT. These kidnappings happen around the suburb, around locations that are bothering Kaduna and Niger states. And this is as a result of the current operations going on in the northwest and some parts of 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.”
Badaru underscored the illegal nature of raising funds to pay ransom and stressed that it only emboldens criminals.
He pointed out ongoing security measures to push out and neutralize the bandits who seek shelter in specific areas.
Referring to recent legislative actions, Badaru mentioned the Senate’s passage of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013 (Amendment) Bill, 2022, reinforcing the prohibition of ransom payments.
The minister urged Nigerians to handle security matters discreetly, cautioning against public discussions that could hinder security agencies in their fight against crime.
He concluded by encouraging citizens to manage the kidnapping situation intelligently and quietly to achieve a productive resolution of the incidents.
