March 13, (THEWILL) – President Bola Tinubu has ruled out the payment of ransom to secure the release of all kidnapped victims, including over 100 pupils and teachers of LEA Primary School in Kuriga Community, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed the President’s directive to State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Tinubu on Wednesday, at the State House, Abuja.
The directive followed a recent upsurge in kidnapping, especially in Kaduna, Borno, Sokoto and other parts of the country.
THEWILL reports that over 100 female IDPs in Ngala, the headquarters of Gambarou Ngala in Borno State, were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists on Sunday, March 3, when the women went to fetch firewood.
Similarly, suspected bandits, on Thursday, abducted over 100 pupils and teachers of LEA Primary School, Kuriga in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Also, bandits in Sokoto State kidnapped 15 Qur’anic students, and recently established contact with the families, demanding a sum of N20 million as ransom before they would be released.
Again, about 61 locals were reportedly abducted by bandits in Buda community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Monday.
THEWILL reported on Monday that bandits, who kidnapped 16 persons in the Gonin-Gora area of Kaduna State, had demanded N40 trillion, eleven Hilux vans and 150 motorcycles for the release of their victims.
Addressing newsmen on Wednesday, Idris said President Tinubu was emphatic about his no-ransom-payment position during the FEC meeting and had directed security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of all kidnapped victims.
His words: “You’re also asking about the apparent surge in this kidnapping across the country. Now, it is true that some of these are happening, we have seen what has happened in Kaduna, in Borno, and then in Sokoto.
“Of course, the government is watching that very closely and not just watching but also ensuring that security agencies are taking proactive steps to ensure that this is halted significantly.
“Now, like I said, Mr. President has said that is an unacceptable situation and the government will not condone abductions or kidnappings or any kind of criminality in that direction.
“We’re seeing this happening and the government is taking very proactive steps, first to mitigate that, and also to stop the spread of this apparently.
“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 the 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 no dime, the 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.”
