We won’t pay a dime to kidnappers as ransom – FG

President Bola Tinubu has directed that no ransom should be paid to kidnappers no matter the amount of pressure.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made this known during the post-Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at Aso Rock on Wednesday.

The Minister noted that government is working round the clock to make sure that those kidnapped were returned to their families.

In Kaduna, not less than 200 students, pupils and their teachers were taken away from Kuriga village and 16 residents abducted in Gonin Gora, all of them are still with the kidnappers.

While the kidnappers of 16 citizens Gonin Gora were reported to be demanding a ransom of N40 trillion, 11 Hilux vans and 150 motorcycles for their release, nothing has been heard from those that took away the students of Kuriga school.

Also in Sokoto, 15 persons were seized in Gidan Bakuso village while about 50 women were reportedly abducted by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.

Answering questions from journalists at the State House, Abuja, the Minister acknowledged the recent upsurge in attacks, noting that the government was keeping a close eye on the situation while the security agencies were taking necessary measures to stop them in their track.

Idris said: “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, government is watching that very closely and not just watching, 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 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 government is not taking any excuses.”

The Minister said the president has directed that security agencies must, as a matter of urgency, ensure that all those who have been kidnapped are brought back in safety and also in the process to “ensure that not a dime is paid as ransom.

“So, it’s important to underscore that no dime, 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.”