The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has urged Nigerians to stop paying ransom to kidnappers, terrorists, and other criminals, warning that such payments only fuel further criminal activity.
Ribadu issued the warning on Tuesday while receiving over 60 rescued kidnap victims in Kaduna.
The victims, who had been held captive for over a month, included a deputy director in the civil service and a relative of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah. All are from Zango Kataf, Southern Kaduna.
The NSA, before handing over the victims—35 males, 29 females, and several children—to the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, stressed that ransom payments encourage criminals to persist in their acts.
“We have never paid a ransom.
Giving money to these criminals is counterproductive. It only worsens the problem,” Ribadu said.
He credited the success of the rescue operation to the determination of the Nigerian Armed Forces and acknowledged President Bola Tinubu for his continued support of security efforts.
“Daily, more citizens are being rescued. But rescuing them isn’t the end.
We will pursue the perpetrators and ensure they face justice,” Ribadu added.
Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, commended the Armed Forces and security agencies for their sustained operations, led by the NSA’s office.
He also encouraged the public to continue providing valuable intelligence.
“We rely on public cooperation.
The NSA and his team have worked tirelessly, and we ask for continued support to defeat these criminal elements,” he said.
One of the rescued victims, Adesiyam Michael, thanked the security forces but shared the trauma he endured, revealing that his wife was shot in his presence.
He described the abductors as young and untrained, calling for efforts to redirect such youth toward meaningful skills and education.