Nigeria Police Force Condemns Crowdfunding for Ransom as Banditry Continues to Plague the Nation
In a stern condemnation, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has expressed its disapproval of the rising trend of crowdfunding to secure the release of abducted individuals, citing the detrimental impact on the morale of its operatives. The Nigeria police Force Spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, made these remarks during an interview with Channels Television on Thursday.
Adejobi emphasized the challenges faced by law enforcement, revealing that families of abducted victims often refrain from involving the police due to the explicit threats issued by kidnappers. He argued that the act of raising ransom through crowdfunding not only poses legal issues but also inadvertently supports and fuels the thriving kidnapping business.
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“Paying ransom is criminal in Nigeria, according to the provisions of our law,” Adejobi declared. He pointed out a critical issue where families, manipulated by the kidnappers’ threats, choose not to inform security agencies, allowing the criminal enterprise to persist without interference.
The Nigeria Police force spokesperson recounted a disturbing incident where an individual resorted to crowdfunding on social media to gather funds for the release of victims. He strongly condemned this approach, stating, “It is criminal. Crowdfunding is not allowed. How can you come on social media and tell people to gather money to rescue victims? It kills our morale.”
This condemnation comes in the wake of a tragic incident on January 2, where bandits abducted a father and his six daughters from their residence in Zuma 1, Bwari area of Abuja. After two weeks in captivity, the bandits ruthlessly killed one of the girls, Nabeeha, due to the family’s inability to meet the initial ransom demand. The kidnappers reportedly increased the ransom to N100 million, threatening further harm if the money was not paid.
In a distressing turn of events, the bank details for the ransom were shared on various social media platforms, highlighting the desperate measures taken by families in an attempt to secure the release of their loved ones.
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Fortunately, after enduring 18 days in captivity, the remaining five girls were freed on January 21.
As Nigeria grapples with the persistent challenge of banditry and kidnapping, the stance taken by the Nigeria Police Force against crowdfunding for ransom reflects the complexities and ethical dilemmas surrounding efforts to combat this alarming trend.
