The National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday, warned against payment of ransom to terrorists, kidnappers and other criminals.
He gave the warning while receiving a fresh batch of over 60 rescued victims who had been in kidnappers’ den for over a month, following intense military pressure in Kaduna.
The victims, among whom was a deputy director in the civil service and a relative of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, all hail from Zango Kataf in Southern Kaduna.
Speaking shortly before handing over the rescued victims, comprising 35 males and 29 females, as well as children to the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, Ribadu advised Nigerians, especially families of kidnapped victims, to stop paying ransom to kidnappers.
According to him, payment of ransom is the engine encouraging the criminals to continue in their evil deeds.
He said: “Let me urge our people, families to stop giving ransom to these criminals. Please stop giving money to there people. The more money you give, the more you compound the problem.
“We have never given any money to any of these people. Giving money to these evil people is counter productive. The more money you give them, the more they request for more money.”
Attributing the rescue of the victims to the resilience of the armed forces who continue to track and pursue them across their hideouts, the NSA expressed special appreciation to the armed forces.
Commending President Bola Tinubu for the support he had continued to give to security agencies to achieve these feats, Ribadu said: “Daily, we are getting our brothers and sisters rescued from the hands of these evil people. But releasing them is not the end of the matter. We will go after them and they will face the consequences.”
In his remarks, Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, commended the armed forces and the security forces, under the coordination of the National Security Adviser, for the untiring efforts in tackling security challenges in the country.
He said: “We have been working day and night and I know the NSA does not sleep, all in a bid to ensure these security issues are resolved. I want to thank Nigerians for the trust they are showing and for providing information which is assisting these successes.
“They should continue to have that trust in us, give us support by providing information because information is needed to overcome these evil people.”
One of the rescued victims, Adesiyam Michael, expressed appreciation for the efforts of the security operatives.
Lamenting that his wife was shot in his presence by the kidnappers, he said: “These boys are young, with ages ranging from 16 to 18 years.
“They lack training, they lack education. Something has to be done to get their likes go for training because they don’t have any experience to do any other trade or skill.”