Paying Ransom Now A Crime In Nigeria — Police Spokesperson Says Ransom Payment Fuels Kidnapping

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

Adejobi stated this while commenting on the recent abduction in Ekiti State during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.

On Monday, two traditional rulers in Ekiti State were killed by kidnappers along Oke-Ako road in Ikole Local Government Area of the state, but another monarch narrowly escaped from the scene.

Also schoolchildren numbering six, three teachers and a bus driver were kidnapped in Emure Ekiti, Ekiti State, while being conveyed to Eporo-Ekiti.

Adejobi assured Nigerians that the victims would be rescued unhurt.

He 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.”