Ribadu Calls for Synergy of Security Forces to End Menace of kidnap-for-ransom

*113 terrorists killed in one week, says DHQ

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday, called for the synergy of security forces to contain the menace of kidnap-for-ransom ravaging the nation.
He said security, intelligence and  other relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) should take responsibility to protect lives and property of Nigerians.

He made the call as Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said intense military operations in the last one week, resulted in the killing of 113 terrorists while 300 of them were arrested.
It said troops also arrested 25 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 91 kidnapped hostages even as troops denied oil thieves an estimated sum of N571,793,350.00.

The NSA, who was represented by the National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Rear Admiral Yaminu Musa (rtd), spoke  at the briefing of service chiefs and heads of agencies on the roadmap for the establishment of the proposed Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell in Abuja.

He called on stakeholders to engender a comprehensive  solution to combat the menace of kidnap-for-ransom and other related crimes bedevilling the country.
Ribadu recalled that as part of the concerted efforts by his office to address the menace of kidnapping in Nigeria, the first security and defence partnership dialogue between the United Kingdom (UK) and Nigeria was held in London in February 2022.

He added that one of the agreements reached during the dialogue was the need to create an “Anti-Kidnap Multi-Agency Fusion Cell” to help stem the threats of kidnapping in the country.

“So far, eight workshops have been held by personnel of relevant stakeholders working with experts of the UK National Crime Agency (NCA).
“The workshops culminated in the setting up of a multi-agency writing team to contribute to the formulation of a National Anti-Kidnapping Strategy,” he said.
The NSA expressed appreciation to the UK through the High Commissioner for the support provided in the nation’s efforts to tackle the issue of Kidnapping and other crimes in Nigeria.

In his remarks, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, noted that the first duty of government was the security of its citizens and that issue of kidnapping brought trauma to families.

He assured of the commitment of the UK government to the full implementation of the security and defence partnership between the two nations.