Wife of Kaduna State Governor, Hajia Asia El-Rufai has said that Nigerians must make sacrifices in order to end banditry and kidnapping, saying that no ransom should be paid to her abductors if she is kidnapped.
The Governor’s wife made the remarks in Kaduna yesterday while addressing participants of a peace and security training organised for Kaduna women by Equal Access International (EAI).
The training, according to the EAI’s Country Director, Mr Maaji Peters, was aimed at securing Nigerian communities through the creation of Civilian Security (CIVSEC) who will make contributions and decisions on issues that affect them and their communities.
Mrs El-Rufai, who was the Guest of Honour at the event said Nigerians must get back their once-peaceful country and women have a great role to play in achieving that.
She emphasised that ransom should not be paid if she is kidnapped. “We must sacrifice to bring this to an end. 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 the ransom, it is like you are adding kerosene to fire. You are giving bandits and kidnappers money for ammunition to continue to haunt you. We should not pay ransom to bandits.
“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 and they 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.
On communal clashes witnessed in parts of Kaduna State, Hajia Asia El-Rufai told the women drawn from Chikun, Kajuru and Jama’a local government areas to shun divisive narratives created by selfish politicians and work for the unity of the state. (The Nation)
