WE HAD NO NEGOTIATION WITH KIDNAPPERS- KOGI GOVT

Read Time:1 Minute, 35 Second

BY JENN NOMAMIUKOR

The Kogi State Government said it did not talk to the kidnappers in a recent kidnapping case in the state. They explained that security officers safely rescued the victims after a fight with the criminals.

The state‘s Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, made this statement on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s programme, Morning Brief.

Fanwo rejected ideas that the victims were either paid to go free or released by the kidnappers.
He said the action was a direct rescue done by security forces.

READ ALSO:

GUNMEN ATTACK ADVANCED TEAM OF ABIA STATE GOVERNMENT IN IMO

When asked if money was given as a reward, Fanwo replied, “In Kogi State, we do not negotiate with kidnappers and criminals.”

“The government said it’s not going to bow to any criminal. We have the capacity to take them out. We have the capacity to deal with the situation.”

He explained that the rescue effort involved an exchange of gunfire between the kidnappers and security operatives, during which the state suffered casualties.

“We regret the fact that in the fire exchange between the kidnappers and our military and security agencies, we lost two people,” Fanwo stated.

According to the commissioner, the criminals are aware that Kogi remains hostile territory for such activities.

“I think a lot of them, too, knew that Kogi is a no-go area for them,” he said.

He said again that the government will not talk to criminals, adding, “We did not negotiate with any criminal. We will not negotiate with any criminal.“