The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Monday issued a strong warning against the payment of ransom to terrorists, kidnappers, and other criminal elements, stressing that such acts only embolden the perpetrators.
Ribadu gave the warning while receiving a newly rescued batch of over 60 kidnap victims in Kaduna, who had spent more than a month in captivity before being freed through sustained military operations. The victims, among whom were a deputy director in the civil service and a relative of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, are all natives of Zango Kataf in Southern Kaduna.
The NSA, speaking shortly before handing over the rescued individuals to the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, noted that the group comprised 35 males, 29 females, and several children. He used the occasion to appeal to Nigerians, particularly families of abducted persons, to desist from offering ransom payments to criminals.
“Let me urge our people, families to stop giving ransom to these criminals. Please stop giving money to these people. The more money you give, the more you compound the problem,” Ribadu warned.
He reiterated that the federal government has never paid ransom to secure the release of any captives, insisting that such payments are counterproductive. “We have never given any money to any of these people. Giving money to these evil people is counterproductive. The more money you give them, the more they request for more money,” he said.
Attributing the successful rescue to the commitment and resilience of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Ribadu applauded their relentless efforts in tracking down criminal elements in their hideouts and maintaining pressure until the hostages were freed.
He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support of security operations, noting that it has empowered agencies to deliver consistent results. “Daily, we are getting our brothers and sisters rescued from the hands of these evil people. But releasing them is not the end of the matter. We will go after them and they will face the consequences,” Ribadu added.
In his remarks, Minister of Defence Mohammed Abubakar praised the dedication of the military and security agencies, commending Ribadu for his effective coordination of the nation’s security architecture.
“We have been working day and night and I know the NSA does not sleep, all in a bid to ensure these security issues are resolved. I want to thank Nigerians for the trust they are showing and for providing information which is assisting these successes,” he said.
He urged the public to maintain their trust in the security agencies and continue offering actionable intelligence to aid in fighting insecurity. “They should continue to have that trust in us, give us support by providing information because information is needed to overcome these evil people,” Abubakar stated.
One of the rescued victims, Adesiyam Michael, also expressed gratitude to the security operatives. Sharing his harrowing experience, he revealed that his wife was shot by the kidnappers in his presence. He appealed for urgent intervention to address the root causes of youth involvement in crime.
“These boys are young, with ages ranging from 16 to 18 years. They lack training, they lack education. Something has to be done to get their likes go for training because they don’t have any experience to do any other trade or skill,” he said.
