Despite warnings from the Federal Government against crowd-funding for ransom payments, families of abducted individuals continue to raise funds through relatives, friends, and social media to secure the release of their loved ones. The recent case in Ekiti State, where pupils and teachers of Apostolic Faith Group of Schools were kidnapped, revealed that families paid N15 million in ransom and provided additional items to secure the release. The government had cautioned against engaging in crowd-funding and paying ransom to kidnappers, emphasizing the existing law against such payments.
Families justify their actions, citing concerns that failure to pay the ransom could lead to harm or death for the victims.
In various states like Katsina and Delta, victims and their families recount how contributions from relatives, friends, colleagues, and even top government officials were gathered to meet ransom demands.
The Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, had warned against crowd-funding for ransoms, acknowledging the prevalence of kidnapping within the Federal Capital Territory area councils.
The Nigeria Police Force has also admonished Nigerians against crowd-funding for ransom, labeling it as criminal and undermining security efforts.
Kidnapped individuals and their families share their experiences, revealing the challenging decisions they face and the pressure to raise funds for ransom payments.
Despite the warning, many argue that ensuring the security of lives and property is the primary responsibility of the government, and until that is achieved, families will continue seeking ways to rescue their loved ones.
In the recent kidnapping incident in Ekiti State, families paid N15 million and provided various items to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.
In Kwara State, following the assassination of the Olukoro of Koro-Ekiti, the abductors of the monarch’s widow demand a N40 million ransom, leading to panic among the family members.