President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday reiterated his administration’s uncompromising stance against negotiating with kidnappers, terrorists and other violent criminal groups, declaring that Nigeria would never pay ransom or release detained criminals in exchange for abducted victims.
Besides, the Nigerian leader disclosed that kidnappers of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo state demanded both money and the release of their imprisoned gang members, narrating how his government ignored the terrorists’ criminal requests.
The President’s declaration came amid renewed efforts by the federal government to curb the wave of kidnappings, banditry and terrorism that have plagued many parts of the country over the past decade.
Although successive administrations have maintained an official policy against paying ransom to kidnappers, incidents of mass abductions have continued to pose one of Nigeria’s most serious security challenges, with criminal gangs increasingly targeting schools, highways and rural communities.
In recent times, kidnapping for ransom has evolved from isolated criminal activity into a multibillion-naira enterprise, particularly across the North-west and North-central, where heavily armed groups operating from vast forest reserves have repeatedly abducted students, commuters, traditional rulers and farmers. Security experts have long argued that ransom payments encourage further kidnappings by providing funds for the purchase of weapons and recruitment of additional fighters.
Speaking while receiving traditional rulers from Oyo state led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at the State House, Abuja, Tinubu stressed that at no time would his administration negotiate with criminals or pay ransom for the release of kidnap victims.
The president disclosed that the abductors of schoolchildren and teachers in communities in Oriire Local Government Area demanded ransom as well as the release of their detained accomplices, but the government refused to accede to their demands.
“We refuse to negotiate with criminals. They wanted us to release members of their criminal gangs already in detention in addition to demanding money, but we said no deal. We will not negotiate with murderers and terrorists,” he emphasised.
The disclosure marked one of the clearest public confirmations that some kidnapping syndicates are now demanding prisoner exchanges in addition to ransom payments, a tactic more commonly associated with terrorist organisations.
Tinubu said the successful rescue operation in Oyo state reflected the effectiveness of the nation’s evolving security strategy and commended members of the Armed Forces and other security agencies for their professionalism and bravery.
“I agree with you that we should commend the men and women of the Armed Forces for their excellent performance. Every security operation teaches us new lessons, challenges us to review our security architecture, strategy and operational plans, and strengthens our resolve to defeat terrorism and banditry,” he said.
The president disclosed that the federal government was restructuring the nation’s security architecture by expanding the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions to improve operational coverage and significantly reduce response time to security threats across the country.
The expansion forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s security institutions as Nigeria confronts multiple threats ranging from terrorism in the North-east to banditry in the North-west, violent communal conflicts in the North-central, separatist violence in parts of the South-east and rising cases of kidnapping across several geopolitical zones.
He also said the government was strengthening local security structures through the establishment of state police with adequate safeguards against abuse, while enhancing the operational capacity of forest guards to eliminate criminal elements from forests and other ungoverned spaces.
The creation of state police has been a recurring issue in Nigeria’s constitutional and security discourse for years, with supporters arguing that decentralised policing would improve intelligence gathering and response time, while critics fear possible abuse by state governments.
However, Tinubu’s administration has repeatedly indicated its support for the initiative, insisting that adequate constitutional safeguards would be introduced.
“There will be state police, but with guardrails against abuse. Traditional rulers will also have greater roles to play. We are equally enhancing the capacity of forest guards, not to chase animals, but to pursue criminals and deal decisively with them,” the Nigerian leader stressed.
The president further stressed that intelligence gathering remains central to the fight against insecurity and urged traditional rulers to mobilise their communities to remain vigilant, monitor suspicious movements and promptly report strange faces and activities to security agencies.
He noted that the worsening security situation in neighbouring Mali, Burkina Faso and the Niger Republic had increased cross border criminal activities, making it imperative to reinforce Nigeria’s border security, strengthen forest security operations and deepen collaboration among security agencies.
Tinubu also disclosed that some perpetrators of the Oriire abduction were not Nigerians, linking cross border insecurity to prolonged instability in the Sahel region, where military coups, extremist violence and weak border controls have contributed to increased movement of armed groups across West Africa.
Security agencies have repeatedly warned that Nigeria’s porous borders have enabled the influx of foreign fighters, illegal arms and transnational criminal networks, particularly following political instability in parts of the Sahel.
“We are enhancing the capacity of the forest guards. They will not only protect wildlife; they will pursue criminals in the forests. Intelligence is important, and I urge people to be vigilant, know their neighbourhoods and report strangers,” he pointed out.
While acknowledging that the nation’s security challenges remained enormous, Tinubu expressed confidence that ongoing reforms were yielding results.
Tinubu added: “The immediate challenge is monumental, but I asked for this responsibility and I accept both its assets and liabilities. I can assure Nigerians that the security situation is improving. Whenever you see our soldiers and police officers, encourage them and thank them because they are making tremendous sacrifices to keep our country safe.”
He also called on state governments to prioritise strategic road construction over non essential infrastructure, noting that improved road networks would enhance the mobility and operational effectiveness of security agencies in vulnerable communities.
“You need to help us communicate to these governors. Today, the economy of operation is high. But the money that I’m pushing to the states, if you had it during your own time or during my time, it would have been different.
“They are taking four to five times their money. Nobody is borrowing money to pay salaries now. Pensioners are receiving their pay, and they should do more to, instead of flyovers where there is no numeric traffic, build roads and arteries network to really enhance the quality of life and the accessibility of the security agencies to penetrate those areas,” he advised.
Tinubu pledged closer engagement with traditional rulers across the country, describing them as critical stakeholders in intelligence gathering, conflict prevention and community policing.
“I will continue to meet with traditional rulers across the country to listen to your counsel and receive your suggestions because you remain indispensable partners in safeguarding our communities,” he said.
Earlier, Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Ladoja, thanked the President for the federal government’s response to the recent kidnappings in Oyo state, saying the refusal to pay ransom marked a turning point in Nigeria’s anti kidnapping efforts.
“We were apprehensive after that first major kidnapping in Oyo State, but between you and your security people, you have made a turning point. The fact that you did not pay ransom shows we now have a government that knows what it is doing,” he said.
The first class monarch urged sustained security presence in the vast forest stretching from Oyo through Niger State to Kwara State, describing the corridor covering Iseyin, Igboho, Kishi and Baruten as vulnerable to criminal activities if left unchecked.
He also commended the president’s infrastructure drive in Oyo State, noting that about 10 ongoing federal projects valued at more than N2 trillion and improved road networks could significantly boost economic activities and security across the state before the end of Tinubu’s tenure.
Deji Elumoye
