NSA asks Nigerians to stop giving money to bandits and kidnappers.

In light of the country’s security concerns, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has urged Nigerians to refrain from donating money to kidnappers and criminals.

He made the statement on Tuesday when greeting 60 kidnapped victims who had recently been liberated from captivity in Zangon Kataf, Southern Kaduna, as a result of ongoing military operations.

The casualties were received at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre in Abuja, the country’s capital.

“Please stop giving money to these people; it is the most difficult thing we are facing,” the NSA advised Nigerians.

“Many of these people (kidnap victims) and their families have given money to these people (kidnappers), but it has not resulted in their release.” We, the security forces, brought them out.

“It is not the money that they are providing. These people—the more you donate, the worse the problem becomes for us. We have never given anyone a cent, and we do not want anyone to do likewise.”

According to Ribadu, if Nigerians continue to pay ransoms, they aid kidnappers’ activities across the country.
The NSA credited the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security authorities for the victims’ successful rescue.

“I’d want to express my personal appreciation for our armed troops and security services. Their dogged pursuit of these criminals is why we are here today,” he stated.

Ribadu also praised President Bola Tinubu for his consistent support for the country’s security architecture. “Thanks to Mr. President’s devotion, we are making progress every day. However, the victims’ release does not mark the end.

We will continue to pursue these perpetrators and guarantee that they face justice.

The victims, who had been imprisoned for more than a month, included a civil service deputy director and a relative of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.

The group included 35 males, 29 females, and children.