Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai says he will never pay ransom to bandits even if they kidnap his son.
The governor disclosed this in a radio chat on Friday in Kaduna to underscore his government’s policy of not negotiating with bandits.
El-Rufai said he had warned his family members to be careful to avoid being abducted.
“I mean it and I will say it again here. Even if my son is kidnapped, I will rather pray for him to make heaven instead, because I won’t pay any ransom,” the governor said.
Asked what his government was doing to secure the release of the students kidnapped at the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Kaduna, in March, the governor said the government would keep exploring other ways to get them back to their families but stressed that the government is absolutely not paying ransom.
He said the state government will keep exploring those other means until the students are released.
Kaduna is among states that have come under attacks by bandits who sack villages and kidnap residents in exchange for ransom.
SaharaReporters had reported how about 39 students were abducted at the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State in early March.
Ten of them have regained their freedom, leaving 29 of them in captivity.
The state government has since vowed not to negotiate with the kidnappers who have demanded a ransom of N500 million.
