By Ayomide Joseph
The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has come under intense criticism from the Nigerian public following his recent statement lamenting the alleged reluctance of families of kidnapping victims to involve security agencies in negotiations with kidnappers.
Adejobi voiced his concerns during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today last Thursday, asserting that families often hindered the effectiveness of rescue operations by not collaborating with security operatives.
His comments come as the country experiences an increase in kidnapping attacks.
The police spokesperson reiterated the criminality of ransom payments in Nigeria, stating, “Let me start by saying paying ransom is criminal in Nigeria. The problem we have is this; the families of victims, in most cases, do not carry security operatives along. They get scared because kidnappers always work on their psyche and say, ‘Don’t tell security operatives, don’t tell the police, if you do, we are going to kill your relative.'”
Adejobi’s remarks have triggered a wave of criticism from Nigerians who find his comments disconcerting.
In response to Adejobi’s statement, Alabi Ayodeji suggested that the Nigeria Police Force often demands money before taking action on cases. He shared a personal experience, stating, “The last time they carried them along, the policemen were demanding money. I went to report a case to the police last year at Area F in Ikeja; they asked me to bring N160,000 for them to help me arrest and prosecute the person. I never went back there.”
Another individual, @Rattykings12, criticized the police, accusing them of being unable to trace kidnappers and questioning why they couldn’t utilize the same network used by the criminals. He stated, “Talking nonsense, you people are robbing shoulders with kidnappers. You can’t trace kidnappers’ mobile, but they call to send money. Are they not using the same network? Is the kidnappers’ network different in Nigeria? What deprives you people from tracing kidnappers?”
However, Dhämhilõrlah defended the families of kidnapped victims, noting that they might feel desperate and willing to do anything to secure the safe return of their loved ones. He emphasized that it is not clear whether paying ransom is the most effective solution to the problem.
