The Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, has refuted allegations that the Federal Government paid ransom to secure the freedom of schoolchildren recently abducted in Kebbi and Niger states.
He made this clarification on Friday during an appearance on the Morning Brief programme on Channels Television, amid increasing public speculation about the rescue operations.
Adaramodu, who represents Ekiti South in the Senate, maintained that the government did not make any monetary payment to the kidnappers, even though Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, confirmed that security operatives made contact with bandits during efforts to free kidnap victims in Kwara.
According to Adaramodu, discussions or engagements with abductors can take different forms, but security agencies are under no obligation to release operational details to the public.
“From our side at the National Assembly, we believe the Federal Government did not pay any ransom to anybody. If there is any contact with the bandits, there are various types — it can be forceful, persuasive or a mix of both,” he stated.
His remarks come as Nigeria faces another surge in school abductions, increasing scrutiny of the authorities’ approach to tackling kidnapping.
Human rights advocates and community leaders have frequently argued that the lack of openness surrounding rescue missions encourages public doubt, especially when victims are freed without reports of confrontation or arrests.
Responding to concerns that no photographs or reports of captured gunmen were released after the latest rescues, Adaramodu warned against assuming that security personnel did not engage with the attackers.
He explained that criminals often flee once they become aware that security forces are closing in on them.
“If you have not seen the corpses of abductors or them being handcuffed, that does not negate the possibility of intense confrontation,” he said.
“When they sense superior firepower, they run and leave the victims behind,” he added.
Adaramodu also revealed that the Senate has created an ad-hoc committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the Kebbi school abduction.
Early briefings from security agencies and state officials, he said, suggest that soldiers assigned to protect the school left their post shortly before the attack took place.
The death of Brigadier General Musa Uba, who was involved in anti-banditry operations, has placed additional pressure on the military’s performance. Adaramodu said the committee will also look into the events connected to the senior officer’s death.
He stressed that although the National Assembly will continue to push for accountability, security agencies cannot be expected to disclose tactical plans.
“Their mandate is to rescue victims safely. How they execute that cannot be in the public domain,” he noted.
Adaramodu assured Nigerians that the Senate remains dedicated to supporting security agencies in restoring safety across the country.
