The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Kaduna State State chapter, has commended Governor Nasir el-Rufai over his stand of not engaging or negotiating with bandits and urged relatives of abducted victims to resist the temptation of paying ransom to free their loved ones.
The state chairman of ACF, Alhaji Lawal Umar Meyere, said paying ransom on loved ones was not the right solution to tackling kidnappings in the rural areas and described the rate of insecurity in the state as pathetic.
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“We very much commend the efforts of the governor on the step taken in dealing with banditry in the state. We are, therefore, calling on the governor not to pay any amount to kidnappers or bandits. The government should continue its efforts towards rescuing all those kidnapped in the state,” he said.
“We hope people will realize it’s the best way to end this menace, if we stop ransom payment as kidnapping business will collapse because without funds they (bandits) cannot buy arms,” he said.
He emphasised the need for public campaigns by all stakeholders, especially religious and traditional leaders, of CSOs and community leaders so as to educate citizens against ransom payment.
While stressing that security is everybody’s business, he also urged citizens to take up the challenge by forming vigilante groups at the community level. “People must sacrifice and be courageous to defend themselves as a key to end insecurity,” he said.
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