It's criminal to pay ransom — Police ask families of kidnap victims to always involve them

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has said that paying ransom is a criminal offence in Nigeria.

Adejobi said this on Thursday, February 2, 2024, while commenting on the recent abduction in Ekiti State during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.

It would be recalled that on Monday, kidnappers killed two traditional rulers Oke-Ako road in Ikole Local Government Area of the state.

One of the monarchs attacked by the kidnappers narrowly escaped from the scene.

Also, in Emure Ekiti, six pupils, three teachers and a bus driver were kidnapped.

However, while commenting on the incident, Adejobi is a crime for the families of kidnapped victims to pay ransom for the release of their relatives in the kidnappers’ den.

He said in most cases, the victims’ families don’t involve the police before paying the ransom demanded by kidnappers.

Adejobi said, “Paying ransom is criminal in Nigeria. But the problem we have in most cases is that families of abducted individuals don’t carry security operatives along. Kidnappers always work on their psyche. They tell them to not tell security operatives; ‘don’t tell the police; if you do we will kill your relations.’

“We have to understand the dimensions of kidnapping. Kidnappers will take kidnapping as a business. They will kidnap and negotiate and get money. We got to a stage where they kidnapped, collected money and killed the victim.”

He, however, assured that those abducted in Ekiti State would be rescued unhurt.