Spectacular kidnappings for ransom are almost a daily occurrence in Nigeria. However, the government of Nigeria announced Wednesday it would not pay “a dime” to any criminal group as a ransom, in a message from the country’s information minister, Mohammed Idris.
Terrorists on the rampage in Nigeria target schools, villages and highways, often releasing their victims after weeks or months in captivity following negotiations with families or authorities, although officials deny ransom payments are made.
Families and entire communities pool their savings to pay ransoms, despite a 2022 law that banned handing money to kidnappers. Many families say they have little faith in the authorities and feel they have no choice.
Terrorists are demanding N100 million (US$62,213) to release a bride and her bridesmaids abducted in Katsina on February 1 and N40 trillion (US$27 billion) to free Gonin Gora locals abducted on February 28, 9 miles south of Kaduna City.
Idris said President Bola Tinubu gave security forces an order to close all channels for ransoms to be paid while working to bring back recently abducted schoolchildren and others. “Mr President has directed that no ransom will be paid by the government to any of these criminal elements,” he added.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
