Nigeria's Defense Minister Criticizes Crowdfunding for the Abduction of Abuja Sisters

Nigeria's Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has criticized those who pay ransoms to kidnappers, stating that crowdfunding only exacerbates the problem. His comments come as the deadline to pay a ransom for the release of five kidnapped sisters expired. The sisters were abducted from their home in Abuja earlier this month, and one of them was tragically killed. This case has shocked the nation, leading to donations via a crowdfunding initiative. However, there has been no communication from the family since the deadline passed. The minister argues that fulfilling kidnappers' demands only encourages their greed. He emphasized the need to stop responding to ransom payments, as this would eventually make kidnapping unprofitable and deter criminals from engaging in it. Nigeria has been plagued by a significant rise in kidnappings, especially in the north-west region. The increasing insecurity in the capital city prompted Abuja's police force to establish a special unit dedicated to combating these kidnapping gangs. The Defence Minister believes that previous operations against such gangs have forced them to relocate closer to the capital, but assured that security agencies are intensifying efforts to eliminate them entirely.