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Do not pay ransom if I am kidnapped – El-Rufai’s wife

June 10, 2021 No Comments

Hajiya Asia El-Rufai, wife of Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has said no ransom should be paid to her abductors if she is kidnapped.

The first lady stated this while addressing participants of a peace and security training organised by Equal Access International in Kaduna, Daily Trust reports.

The governor’s wife, said she is ready to die at the hands of kidnappers if that will bring peace to the country.

She said Nigerians must get back to their once-peaceful country and women have a great role to play in achieving that.

We must sacrifice to bring this to an end and I am ready to die in the hands of kidnappers if it will bring peace to Nigeria.

“For as long as you continue to pay a ransom, it is like you are adding kerosene to fire, you are giving bandits, kidnappers money for ammunition to continue to haunt you. We should not pay a ransom. this is my personal opinion.

“I have said it before and I will say it again; if I am kidnapped, don’t pay any ransom. Rather pray for me that if it is death, I go in a good way and if I am going to be released that I am not violated.

As long as we are giving them the money, they will hurt people around, they will not change. Collectively as a country, we have to say no. We cannot continue to give them our hard-earned money to buy weapons and drugs to kill and maim our children. If we don’t put a stop to this, they will destroy us all. They will even kidnap the person that takes the ransom to them.” she said.

Speaking on communal clashes witnessed in parts of the state, she told the women drawn from Chikun, Kajuru and Jama’a local government areas to shun divisive narratives created by selfish politicians.

The Country Director, EAI, Maaji Peters, said the training is aimed at securing Nigerian communities through the creation of Civilian Security (CIVSEC) who will make contributions and decisions on issues that affect them and their communities.

The governor of Kaduna, El-Rufai has also said he will not pay ransom to kidnappers, even if any of his family members is abducted.

Politics

Bill seeking 15 years jail-term for Nigerians paying ransom to kidnappers passes second reading

May 20, 2021 No Comments

The Senate on Wednesday considered a bill that seeks to prohibit the payment and receipt of ransom for the release of any person kidnapped, imprisoned or wrongfully confined.

According to the bill, Nigerians who pay ransom to kidnappers and kidnappers who receive ransom risk 15 years imprisonment.

The Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which scaled second reading during plenary is sponsored by Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi.

Leading debate on the bill, the lawmaker said the piece of legislation seeks to amend the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2013 to outlaw the payment of ransom to abductors, kidnappers and terrorists for the release of any person who has been wrongfully confined, imprisoned or kidnapped.

According to Onyewuchi, the bill essentially seeks to substitute for section 14 of the Principal Act a new section to read, “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.”

He raised alarm that kidnapping has become a fast and lucrative business, adding that, “it has now remained the most virulent form of banditry in Nigeria and the most pervasive and intractable violent crime in the country.”

Continuing, the Senator said, “Kidnapping is on the increase in Nigeria and it is prevalent across all the geopolitical zones.

“Some blame the rise of this criminal activity on poverty, religion, politics, deficiency of existing laws, unemployment, connivance of security agents, corruption, and greed among others.

Our unemployed youths are also turning out to kidnapping to get money (ransom) as a survival strategy.

“Whatever the reason, it is most obvious that kidnapping in Nigeria puts everyone at risk, the rich and the poor, old and young, male and female, foreigner or indigene, expatriate or non-expatriate, traditional rulers and religious leaders, among others.”

Continuing, the Senator said, “Kidnapping is on the increase in Nigeria and it is prevalent across all the geopolitical zones.

“Some blame the rise of this criminal activity on poverty, religion, politics, deficiency of existing laws, unemployment, connivance of security agents, corruption, and greed among others.

Our unemployed youths are also turning out to kidnapping to get money (ransom) as a survival strategy.

Politics, World News

Shoot-On-Sight Order is hindering the rescue Of abducted Kaduna Students, Says Gumi

March 26, 2021 No Comments

Renowned Islamic Scholar, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, has said the shoot-on-sight order of President Muhammdu Buhari is hindering the efforts to negotiate the release of the kidnapped students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Kaduna.

Earlier in the month, Buhari had asked security operatives to gun down those carrying arms illegally in the forests.

Speaking with Daily Trust on Thursday, the cleric said some of the bandits he met in the forest during his peace meetings have assisted in identifying the leader of the gang responsible for the abduction of the students.

Gumi said despite identifying the leader of the gang, he has been unable to reach out to him because of the shoot-on-sight order of the president.

The cleric added that during his previous tours to the bandits’ dens, he met with more than 80 percent of their leaders, saying if not for lack of encouragement from some government officials, he would have met all the leaders to persuade them to lay their arms for peace to reign.

“If we had encouragement, we would have met all the leaders. All those we met usually offered to support us to negotiate on our behalf, just like what happened in Niger State.

“Presently, our ability has reached the extent that we can identify who is involved in any criminal act. We have identified the leader of those who took the students but he has never attended any peace meeting with us.

“Those groups we met identified him but we could not reach out to him because of the security implication since the government gave shoot-on-sight order and then the government said no negotiation. So, I don’t want us to go into the bush and the government will think we are encouraging them.”

Asked what needs to be done to get the victims released, Gumi said, “What I think is for the government to just relax and allow us to follow these people to teach them how to behave, admonish them and then negotiate so that they stop this thing. We are doing this for ourselves not for the government or any political party.

“We don’t want politicians to mess up our land because they will come and go while we remain here, God willing. So we are not doing it for political reasons, we are doing it for ourselves so that we stop killing each other.”

On the stand of Governor Nasir El-Rufai against negotiating with bandits, Gumi said, “I cannot change the state government stand on negotiation and ransom payment. All I want from them is to allow us to continue discussion with the bandits.”

Effort to get Kaduna State Government reaction through the Commissioner Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, proved abortive as calls to his phone were unanswered.

Entertainment

Journalist’s abductors demand N10m ransom

February 5, 2021 No Comments

Gunmen who abducted the Abuja correspondent of The PUNCH, Okechukwu Nnodim, have demanded N10 million ransom for his release.

Nnodim was kidnapped by a five-man gang at his residence in the Kubwa area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday night.

The gunmen stormed the journalist’s home, fired several shots at the windows and pulled down the burglary proof before gaining access into the house.

The victim’s sister, who is based in Lagos, told journalists on Friday that the kidnappers had made contacts with his family and demanded N10 million ransom for his release.

The journalist’s wife, Oluchi, also confirmed that the kidnappers have made demands.

The woman, however, said she was not at liberty to discuss the details as the negotiations are being handled by the family.