FG DIDN'T PAY RANSOM FOR RELEASE OF ABDUCTED VICTIMS- SENATE SPOKESPERSON

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The spokesperson for the Senate, Yemi Adaramodu, said that the Federal Government did not pay a ransom to get schoolchildren back who were recently taken in Kebbi and Niger states.

He said this during an interview on Television. This came as people are getting more worried about what happened during the recent rescue missions.

Adaramodu, who is the senator for Ekiti South, said the government did not give any money to the kidnappers. However, Bayo Onanuga, who is the special adviser on information and strategy to President Bola Tinubu, said that security officers reached out to the bandits to try to free the kidnapped children from Kwara.

According to Adaramodu, negotiations or contact with kidnappers can occur in different forms, but security agencies are not obligated to disclose operational details to the public.

“From our side at the National Assembly, we believe the Federal Government did not pay any ransom to anybody. If there is any contact with the bandits, there are various types — it can be forceful, persuasive or a mix of both,” he said.

The lawmaker’s comments come as Nigeria grapples with a renewed wave of school kidnappings, prompting heightened scrutiny of the government’s counter-kidnapping strategy.

Human rights groups and community stakeholders have long argued that the lack of transparency surrounding rescue missions fuels speculation, especially when victims return without evidence of armed confrontation or arrests.

Responding to concerns that no images or reports of captured gunmen were released after the latest rescues, Adaramodu cautioned against assuming that security forces did not engage the abductors.

He explained that criminals often abandon hostages once they realise that security operatives are closing in.

“If you have not seen the corpses of abductors or them being handcuffed, that does not negate the possibility of intense confrontation,” he said.

“When they sense superior firepower, they run and leave the victims behind,” the lawmaker added.

Adaramodu also said the Senate has formed a special committee to look into the situation around the Kebbi school kidnapping.

He mentioned that early reports from state officials and security groups show that soldiers assigned to protect the school left their posts right before the attack happened.

The death of Brigadier General Musa Uba, who was part of anti–banditry efforts, has put more pressure on the military‘s performance.
Adaramodu said the committee will also look into what led to the officer‘s death.

He added that while the National Assembly will keep pushing for accountability, security agencies won’t be expected to share details about their strategies.

“Their mandate is to rescue victims safely. How they execute that cannot be in the public domain,” he said.

Adaramodu assured Nigerians that the Senate remains committed to supporting security agencies in restoring safety nationwide.

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