The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has issued a strong warning against paying ransoms to kidnappers and engaging in crowdfunding for victims.
Police Headquarters Public Relations Officer (PRO), Olumuyiwa Adejobi,, on Thursday, emphasized the criminality of these actions and their detrimental impact on rescue efforts.
“Paying ransom is illegal in Nigeria,” Adejobi declared, citing existing laws. He highlighted the crucial importance of involving security agencies as soon as a kidnapping occurs. “Families often get scared by kidnappers’ threats, but not informing the police hinders investigations and puts lives at risk,” he explained.
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The PRO also denounced the recent incident of crowdfunding for a kidnapped victim on social media. “This is against the law and does not help us,” he stated firmly. “It incentivizes kidnappers and jeopardizes our operations.”
He concluded by urging the public to cooperate with the police and avoid actions that compromise investigations and potentially endanger lives.
