FG didn’t pay bandits ransom for release of kidnapped persons – Senate spokesperson
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, has refuted allegations that the Federal Government paid ransom to secure the release of schoolchildren recently abducted in Kebbi and Niger states.
His comments followed remarks by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy to President Bola Tinubu, who said that security operatives established contact with bandits during efforts to free kidnap victims in Kwara State.
Speaking on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, Adaramodu explained that communication with kidnappers can take different forms and that security agencies are not required to disclose operational strategies 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,” the lawmaker, who represents Ekiti South senatorial district, said.
Addressing claims that no images or reports of apprehended gunmen were presented after the recent rescues, Adaramodu urged the public not to assume that security forces failed to confront the abductors. He noted that kidnappers sometimes flee and abandon captives when they realise security personnel 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,” he added.
Adaramodu also said that the Senate has established an ad-hoc committee to probe the Kebbi school abduction. Early reports from state officials and security agencies suggest that soldiers deployed to secure the school allegedly left their duty post shortly before the attack.
The death of Brigadier General Musa Uba — who played a key role in anti-banditry operations — has further intensified scrutiny of military performance. Adaramodu said the committee will also look into the circumstances surrounding his death.
He reaffirmed that while the National Assembly will continue to insist on accountability, security agencies cannot be expected to divulge confidential tactics.
“Their mandate is to rescue victims safely. How they execute that cannot be in the public domain,” he said.
