Defence minister, Abubakar Badaru, has faulted families crowdfunding ransoms to secure releases of their loved ones in kidnappers’ den, saying they make kidnapping a profitable venture.

“We all know there’s an existing law against payment of ransom. So, it is very sad for people to go on the Internet and radio asking for donations to pay ransom,” Mr Badaru said. This will only worsen the situation; it will not help.” 

Mr Badaru, in a press briefing at the State House on Tuesday, said, “If we stop, over time, kidnapping will not be profitable, and they will stop. It is not easy, though, but that is the law.” 

Mr Badaru’s admonition came in the wake of reported cases of kidnappings that saw family members crowdfund to pay ransom due to the government’s inability to secure release of kidnapped loved ones.  

On Monday, Amnesty International lamented the spate of kidnap for ransom in Nigeria, saying it was now part of daily life and citizens are living on a knife edge. 

However, President Bola Tinubu media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said security agencies were doing their best to tackle kidnapping menace across the country. 

On January 9, bandits kidnapped Najeebat, her five sisters and father at Bwari local government Council of the Federal Capital Territory. The father was later released on January 12 to source for N60 million ransom for the girls, while Nejeebah was killed as her father made efforts to raise ransom to free them.

Peoples Gazette reported that a former communications and digital economy minister, Isa Pantami, said one of his friends donated N50 million to complete the N60 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers for the release of the five Najeebah’s sisters.