The federal government has warned Nigerians against crowdfunding for ransom to secure the release of abducted persons.
Mohammed Badaru, minister of defence, spoke in Abuja on
Wednesday at the end of the federal executive council (FEC) meeting.
Crowdfunding is the process of raising funds to finance a
project from the public through an online platform.
Following the escalating abductions in the federal capital
territory (FCT), Abuja, some social media users have expressed willingness to
crowdfund to secure the release of the victims.
On Sunday, Isa Pantami, former minister of communications
and digital economy, said a friend of his has contributed N50 million as part
of the ransom for the release of the five sisters abducted in Abuja.
On January 5, bandits abducted six sisters and their father
in the Bwari area council of the FCT.
The kidnappers killed one of the girls after the family
failed to pay a ransom of N60 million.
A family member said the abductors have increased the ransom
to N100 million.
Speaking to State House correspondents, Badaru said
crowdfunding for ransom purposes is counterproductive and should be immediately
stopped.
The minister said paying a ransom does not only emboldens
the kidnappers, it worsens the security situation in the country.
“In FCT, these kidnappings happen around the suburbs and
around locations that are bordering Kaduna and Niger states. This is as a
result of the current operations going on in the north-west and some parts of
north-central,” Badaru said.
“The bandits are fleeing and they are getting shelters
around these areas and the security agencies are working very hard to push them
out, block their movements and finish this thing once and for all.
“The president has given us the marching order and all the
support that we need and what the security agencies need to end this thing.
“On crowdfunding, we all know there is an existing law
against payment of ransom. So, it is very sad for people to go over the
internet and radio asking for donations to pay ransom.
“This will only worsen the situation, it will not help the
situation at all as you have seen.
“Initially, they asked for N60 million and now because of
this funding and I learnt somebody has raised N50 million already through
friends and media — they jacked up the ransom.
“We believe we have to stop it as painful as it is. We have
to stop responding to the payment of ransom. If we stop, over time, the
kidnapping will not be profitable and they will stop.
“It is not easy
though but that is the law. So we want to call on the people to manage the
kidnapping situation intelligently and very quietly because talking too much
about it, most especially raising funds through the public media, is not
productive at all and should be discontinued.”
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