Ex-President, Olusegun Obasanjo has reacted to the rising rate of insecurity especially kidnapping in the country.
Obasanjo argued that the federal government including the past administration of Goodluck Jonathan paid ransom to rescue kidnapped persons.
Nigeria has witnessed series of mass abductions especially kidnapping of school girls by bandits.
Following the demand of ransom by kidnappers for the release of the abductees, several stakeholders have differed on whether they (kidnappers) should be negotiated with and paid ransom or not.
Obasanjo while speaking on Wednesday when he played host to members of the Tiv Professionals Group (TPG) in Abeokuta, Ogun state said governments have been paying ransom but denied it.
He, however, said the issue of kidnapping must be addressed with carrot-and-stick approach, adding that payment of ransom encourages the crime.
He added that if ransom will not be paid, the situation has to be dealt with using other methods.
“Some people are still reaching out, and hoping that lives can still be saved. But a situation whereby anybody thinks paying ransom is the way out, that person is folly. He is a folly,” he said.
“This is because when you pay ransom, you encourage. But if you are not going to pay ransom, you must have the means to deal heavily with it. You must have the stick to deal with it.
“Government has always paid ransom. Not only this government, even during Jonathan. They paid ransom but they denied it.”
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