Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has urged Nigerians to stop the illegal payment of ransom to kidnappers and bandits.
At a briefing after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, Mr Badaru said the payment would only embolden the culprits to make more demand thereby jeopardising public safety.
The minister spoke in response to the reported sourcing of funds by some members of the public to pay the abductors of some persons in the Bwari Area Council of Abuja.
Some of the victims have been killed because their families could not raise the money to pay the ransom.
He said President Bola Tinubu, at a meeting on Tuesday with service chiefs, had directed security agencies to intensify efforts in flushing out the perpetrators of criminal acts in the society.
“Yesterday, we are aware Mr President called us and all the service chiefs to discuss this issue. So, concerted efforts are being done by security to stop it immediately.
“As you are aware, people are saying FCT, FCT, these kidnappings happen around the suburb, around locations that are bothering Kaduna and Niger states. And this is a result of the current operations going on in the North-west and some parts of North- central.
“The bandits are fleeing and they are getting shelters around these areas and the security agencies are working very hard to push them out, block the movement and finish this thing once and for all,” he said.
He added that raising funds to pay the ransom was an illegal act and an action that would further encourage the perpetrators in their nefarious acts.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senate had passed the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013 (Amendment) Bill, 2022, into law and particularly amended Section 14.
The section says: “Anyone who transfers funds, makes payment or colludes with an abductor, kidnapper or terrorist to receive any ransom for the release of any person who has been wrongfully confined, imprisoned or kidnapped is guilty of a felony and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than 15 years.”
The minister urged Nigerians to avoid discussing security issues in the public or the media because of its implications for thwarting criminals by security agencies.
He said Nigerians should manage the kidnapping situation intelligently and quietly to achieve a productive resolution of the incidences.
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