Senate Denies Ransom Payment in Kebbi, Niger Kidnappings

Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu has reiterated that the Federal Government did not pay ransom to secure the release of victims abducted in Kebbi and Niger states, insisting that rescue operations should not be judged by the absence of graphic evidence or publicised firefights.

Speaking on a televised interview on Friday, Adaramodu pushed back against public scepticism surrounding recent operations. “From our side at the National Assembly, we believe the Federal Government did not pay any ransom to anybody,” he said, responding to widespread speculation that quiet negotiations—not security pressure—led to the victims’ freedom.

Adaramodu argued that the public’s demand for visible proof of military engagement is misplaced. “If you have not seen the corpses of abductors or them being handcuffed from the forest, that does not mean there was no serious exchange of battle,” he said, adding that many kidnappers flee once they sense “superior power” approaching.

The senator also clarified that contact between security agents and abductors does not automatically imply compromise. “If there is any contact with the bandits, there are several types, negative or positive. It can be through force or persuasion,” he explained.

On the recent abduction of students from a girls’ secondary school in Kebbi State, Adaramodu confirmed that the Senate has set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate alleged security lapses. According to preliminary reports presented to lawmakers, soldiers assigned to protect the school “left, and minutes later, those people struck and kidnapped our children,” he said.

The investigation will also examine the death of Brigadier General Musa Uba, a senior officer involved in anti-banditry operations whose passing has raised further concerns about operational readiness in volatile regions.

Adaramodu stressed that the military is not expected to publicly outline its strategies, weapon use, or rescue pathways. “The ways and manners of the military, how they rescue victims, cannot and will not be made public. As a security agency, they will not tell us how many bullets they shot or how many guns they lost,” he stated.

He emphasised that the priority remains the safe return of abducted citizens. “The job we gave them is to rescue the victims—our girls, our parents, our worshippers. What we know is that they went, they brought back those who were ferried into the forest, and that is what matters.”

Adaramodu assured that while the National Assembly will continue to demand accountability, it will also support the military and security agencies in restoring safety across the country.