The Federal Government has reaffirmed its stance that it does not pay ransom for abducted victims, stressing that security forces rely on military pressure and intelligence operations to secure their release.
Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, made the clarification during an interview with BBC Hausa, monitored in Kaduna, amid assumptions that ransom payments are used to free kidnapped victims, particularly schoolchildren.
“The federal government does not pay ransom. Even if others do, we do not. We do not pay ransom,” Musa stated.
He explained that rescued victims are usually freed after sustained security operations.
“People only assume that ransom is paid. For instance, when children are kidnapped from schools, soldiers pursue the bandits in the forest, apply pressure, and force them to flee, allowing the children to be recovered. There is no ransom involved,” he said.
Musa warned that paying ransom only strengthens criminal networks and encourages further kidnappings.
“We oppose it because it motivates people to kidnap for money. That is why we urge people to stop paying ransom,” he said.
The minister called on families and communities to report kidnapping incidents to security agencies instead of negotiating with abductors. He also cautioned against any support to bandits, including supplying them with food or other items.
“What people should understand is that if you sell food to them and accept their money, you are taking blood money, and that is not acceptable,” Musa said, appealing for public cooperation and intelligence sharing to help end banditry.
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to restoring peace, he stressed that sustained military action combined with public support remains the most effective strategy against banditry.
He further warned state governments against negotiating peace with bandits, describing such efforts as deceptive and counterproductive to national security.
Citing Katsina State as an example, Musa noted that the Federal Government had cautioned against peace initiatives with armed groups there.
“The daily goal of the federal government is to ensure peace across the country,” he said.
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