The wife of Kaduna State Governor, Hajiya Asia El-Rufai, has said no ransom should be paid to her abductors if she is kidnapped.
Addressing participants of a peace and security training organised Equal Access International (EAI) in Kaduna, the governor’s wife, who is also a lecturer at Baze University, Abuja, said she is ready to die in the hands of kidnappers if that will bring peace to the country.
The governor’s wife said Nigerians must get back their once peaceful country and women have a great role to play in achieving that.
“We must sacrifice to bring this to an end and I am ready to die in the hands of kidnappers if it will bring peace to this country.
“For as long as you continue to pay ransom, it is like you are adding kerosene to fire, you are giving bandits, kidnappers money for ammunition to continue to haunt you. We should not pay ransom. this is my personal opinion.
“I have said it before and I will say it again, if I am kidnapped, don’t pay any ransom. Rather pray for me that if it is death, I go in a good way and if I am going to be released that I am not violated.
“As long as we are giving them the money, they will hurt people around, they will not change. Collectively as a country, we have to say no. We cannot continue to give them our hard-earned money to buy weapons and drugs to kill and maim our children. If we don’t put a stop to this, they will destroy us all.
They will even kidnap the person that takes the ransom to them.” she said.
Speaking on communal clashes witnessed in parts of the state, she told the women drawn from Chikun, Kajuru and Jama’a local government areas to shun divisive narratives created by selfish politicians.
The Country Director, EAI, Mr. Maaji Peters, said the training is aimed at securing Nigerian communities through creation of Civilian Security (CIVSEC) who will make contributions and decisions on issues that affects them and their communities.
The governor of Kaduna has maintained that he would never enter into negotiation with bandits and kidnappers.