President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has instructed security forces not to pay ransom for the release of nearly 300 students and staff abducted from a school in Kaduna state last week.
Instead, Mr. Tinubu has directed security agencies to ensure the safe return of all abducted victims without succumbing to the kidnappers’ demands for payment, according to the country’s Information Minister Mohammed Idris.
Mr. Idris stated that the president emphasized that “not a dime is to be paid” as efforts continue to locate the missing pupils.
Previously, relatives of the abducted individuals reported that gunmen had demanded substantial sums of money for their release.
Recent weeks have seen a series of mass kidnappings in Kaduna state, including the abduction of over 60 individuals from a village on Tuesday night.
The incidents highlight the ongoing challenge of mass abductions in the region, with hundreds of students taken captive over the past few years.
While some hostages have been released following negotiations, government officials maintain that ransom payments are not made, in line with a 2022 law banning such payments.
The increasing frequency of these large-scale abductions poses a significant security challenge for Mr. Tinubu’s administration, which has pledged to address the issue of insecurity in the country.
