The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd), has said the Federal Government doesn’t pay ransom to kidnappers and terrorists. He said, “I do not encourage that because if you continue to pay terrorists and kidnappers, everyone will join. “Government doesn’t pay ransom to rescue anyone from terrorists. This country is big; if soldiers swing into action and cover a particular location, the terrorists immediately move to another location,” he said. “We are cooperating with neighboring countries like Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, because this fight requires a collective effort,” he said.

Source: Punch January 17, 2026 08:37 UTC