society
THE PRICE OF FREEDOM: When Governments Talk to Bandits — The Confusing, Dangerous Rescue of 38 Worshippers in Kwara
THE PRICE OF FREEDOM: When Governments Talk to Bandits — The Confusing, Dangerous Rescue of 38 Worshippers in Kwara.
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com
“DSS and the military say they “CONTACTED” kidnappers and secured the release — critics ask whether the state paid a hidden ransom and whether any deal will deepen Nigeria’s kidnapping economy.”
On November 18, 2025, gunmen stormed the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, killing two congregants and abducting 38 worshippers. The kidnappers immediately slapped an extraordinary demand (₦100 million per captive) a sum that made headlines and sickened relatives. The nation watched in horror as the familiar script of mass abduction and ransom negotiation ran again across our airwaves.
By November 24 the worshippers were free. But the sequence that led to their release has produced more questions than comfort. The Presidency’s information aide, Bayo Onanuga, told reporters that the Department of State Services (DSS) and the military had “CONTACTED the BANDITS” and, through real-time tracking and pressure, secured the release without paying ransom. “THEY REACHED OUT TO THE KIDNAPPERS AND DEMANDED THE RELEASE OF THE VICTIMS AND THE BANDITS COMPLIED,” Mr. Onanuga said. The Presidency insisted no ransom was paid.
That official narrative (CONTACT, MONITORING, PRESSURE, RELEASE) sounds tidy. It is also deeply unsettling. For decades families, communities and sometimes local governments have paid to get loved ones back. Analysts and international observers have documented millions of dollars exchanged in secret transactions between captors and the captive’s handlers; such payments become part of the criminal ecosystem, emboldening more abductions. “The motivation of these groups appears purely economic,” SBM Intelligence’s head of research once told Sahara when discussing the KIDNAP-FOR-RANSOM boom. History shows payments (whether explicit or concealed) can have perverse consequences.
So which is it in Eruku? The Presidency’s line is that security agencies negotiated and that the bandits, confronted by surveillance and the prospect of force, “COMPLIED.” Critics ask whether the state’s words conceal a quieter transaction: a back-channel transfer of funds, local payments by community leaders, or a tacit bargain that leaves the bandits enriched and empowered. Nigerian reporting after the releases has been mixed: some outlets relay Onanuga’s position that no ransom was paid, while others note continued local reports of community-level payments or murky negotiations.
There are three hard, non-negotiable truths we must hold in mind.
First: in a country where kidnapping for ransom has metastasized into a criminal economy, any release that lacks transparent forensic explanation will breed suspicion. Between 2011 and 2020, some firms estimated that tens of millions were paid to kidnappers across Nigeria (largely by families and intermediaries) a fact that demonstrates both the scale and the secretive cash flows sustaining the crime. When governments insist “NO RANSOM WAS PAID” without opening records or allowing independent verification, cynicism grows.
Second: the ethical and strategic dilemma is real. Security experts, criminologists and ethicists describe an agonizing choice: refuse to negotiate and risk lives, or negotiate/pay and save people now while encouraging more abductions later. A growing body of research argues that ransom payments produce a perverse feedback loop: immediate human relief at the cost of long-term national insecurity. “Paying the ransom may save a life immediately, but it causes more harm in the long run by encouraging further kidnappings,” a recent ethical review summarized. Policymakers must reckon honestly with that calculus.
Third: secrecy is the enemy of accountability. If security agencies can secure releases by non-lethal means (surveillance, pressure, targeted operations) the public should be presented with credible, verifiable steps explaining how danger was neutralized and how captors were prevented from using the same methods again. If, instead, releases depend on opaque deals or payments through intermediaries, then the state is, in effect, subsidizing criminality with impunity.
Voices from the field amplify these concerns. Ikemesit Effiong of SBM Intelligence described the kidnap economy as mostly financially motivated, fed by poverty and the breakdown of social controls; each successful payout is a business case for the next abduction. Academics who study the phenomenon have similarly warned that ransom markets create perverse incentives and institutional corruption that erode state capacity. In other words: when the state or its proxies pay to free today’s victims, it often pays tomorrow, through renewed crime and weakened trust.
This is not an argument for cold-hearted refusal to save lives. It is a demand for honesty and strategy. If the DSS and the military really relied on real-time tracking, coordinated intelligence and pressure to force a surrender without money changing hands, the Presidency should publicize a clear after-action account: what assets were used, what intelligence nodes tracked the gang, whether arrests were made, and what follow-up operations will prevent recurrence. That would be a template for accountability and learning.
If, on the other hand, a payment (direct or indirect) secured the release, Nigerians deserve to know that too. Concealing payments achieves two dangerous ends: it normalizes secret deals between the state and criminals, and it institutionalizes a shadow market where bandits calculate the expected payout for every attack. Either outcome corrodes the rule of law.
There are practical reforms the federal government must pursue, simultaneously and without further delay. First: transparency and publish factual, declassified after-action reports of rescue operations that explain who did what, and how outcomes were achieved. Second: a national policy on ransom negotiations, designed with input from security services, legal scholars, community leaders and international partners, that specifies when and how officials may engage with captors and under what safeguards. Third: invest aggressively in community resilience such as rural patrols, credible policing, emergency funds for forensic investigations, while prosecuting collaborators and vigilantes who profit from abduction markets. Fourth: strengthen prosecutions and asset-forfeiture regimes that clamp down on the financial networks banking ransom payments. Evidence-based suppression of the economics of crime is as crucial as boots on the ground.
Finally, we must have a public conversation about responsibility. Families and communities pay because they lack confidence in their state. Governments that want to break kidnapping’s business model must first restore trust: by showing that the state can protect citizens, secure rescues lawfully, and deny bandits the currency they crave. Anything less is appeasement dressed as rescue.
The Eruku case should be a moment of clarity for Nigeria. If the DSS and military achieved a no-cash rescue through skillful intelligence and pressure, the agencies should make that model public and replicable. If they relied on payments (however camouflaged) the country must confront the cost of that choice and act to end the market those payments prop up. Either way, secrecy benefits only the criminals and deprives Nigerians of the truth.
The 38 worshippers are home and for that we give thanks; but GRATITUDE must not silence ACCOUNTABILITY. The state’s job is not only to recover victims; it is to ensure the recovery does not fuel the next crime. Until the full facts of the Eruku release are laid on the table and scrutinized, the “MIRACLE” of a mass release will always carry the sour aftertaste of suspicion; and Nigeria will remain trapped in a vicious cycle where rescue equals reward and reward equals repeat.
society
HIGH CHIEF CHETACHI NWOGA-ECTON HONOURED BY IMO STATE HAUSA, IGBO AND YORUBA COMMUNITIES, EMPOWERS THE UNDERPRIVILEGED WITH CASH GIFTS AND TOOLS
*HIGH CHIEF CHETACHI NWOGA-ECTON HONOURED BY IMO STATE HAUSA, IGBO AND YORUBA COMMUNITIES, EMPOWERS THE UNDERPRIVILEGED WITH CASH GIFTS AND TOOLS
An atmosphere of joy and celebration filled Owerri Municipal as High Chief Chetachi NWOGA-ECTON — Adaure, Ada Imo and Uwar Marayu of the Northern Community in Imo State — led her team from Abuja to Owerri for a humanitarian outreach empowerment programme tagged Mission of Mercy.
The outreach, organized under the auspices of the When In Need Foundation and the All Life Matters Humanitarian Foundation, saw the distribution of cash gifts and skill acquisition equipment worth millions of naira to underprivileged and vulnerable members of the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba communities in Owerri Municipal.
The event was hosted by HRH Alhaji Baba Suleiman, Sarkin Hausawa of the Northern Community in Imo State. He was joined by the Chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chairman of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Eze Dr. E. C. Okeke, CFR, who was represented by HRH Eze Engr. Fredrick Nwachukwu, Deputy Chairman of the Owerri Zone Council of Traditional Rulers. Also present was the host traditional ruler, HRH Eze Austine Possible Uche of Owerri Municipal.
Other royal fathers in attendance included HRH Eze Dr. Clinton Uboegbulam of Umuororonjo, HRH Eze Peter Njemanze of Amawom, HRH Eze Kelvin Tochukwu Ihebom of Umuihugba-Umuodu Communities, and HRH Alhaji Oba Musibau Aladeji, the Oba of the Yoruba Community in Imo State. The Chief Imam of Owerri Central Mosque, Alhaji Barr. Suleiman Njoku, was also present.
Dignitaries at the occasion included Alhaji Ibrahim Saley, former Secretary of the Imo State Muslim Pilgrimage Board; Alhaji Hassan Babidi, former Special Adviser on Northern Affairs under Governor Emeka Ihedioha; Alhaji Ibrahim Suleiman Ibrahim, Special Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodimma on Northern Affairs; and Hajiya Fatima Hamza, Special Adviser on Northern Women Affairs, Gender and the Vulnerable, among others.
A special appearance was made by Yahaya Moh’d Kyabo Fagge, FCIML (USA), Dan Darman Jiwa Wakilin Sarkin of Jiwa Ward in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. He offered prayers and words of encouragement to High Chief Chetachi NWOGA-ECTON, praising her extensive humanitarian services which, he noted, have impacted many communities across Northern Nigeria and beyond. He further described her as an adopted daughter of his emirate, acknowledging her significant contributions to the Jiwa community.
Speaking through his representative, HRM Eze Dr. E. C. Okeke, CFR commended the philanthropist’s numerous good works, noting that they justified the traditional recognition conferred upon her by the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers.
In his goodwill message, Alhaji Ibrahim Saley cited verses from the Qur’an, highlighting examples of individuals who used their wealth to uplift the poor and were rewarded by Allah. He encouraged her to remain steadfast in her humanitarian service.
While distributing the items and cash gifts, High Chief Chetachi NWOGA-ECTON expressed deep appreciation to the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba communities for honouring her with the traditional title “Uwar Marayu,” meaning “Mother of Orphans.”
She thanked HRM Eze Dr. E. C. Okeke, CFR, whom she described as a father figure, as well as other traditional rulers who graced the occasion.
She reflected on her humble beginnings, recalling a personal vow she made to God while struggling to survive as a street hawker — that if blessed with wealth, she would dedicate her resources to serving humanity. She expressed gratitude to God that the vision has become a reality through programmes such as the Mission of Mercy.
In his closing remarks, the host, HRH Alhaji Baba Suleiman, appreciated High Chief Chetachi NWOGA-ECTON for her generosity towards the less privileged in his community. He recounted how, after consultations with his cabinet, the council resolved to honour her with the title “Uwar Marayu” in recognition of her selfless service.
According to him, in appreciation of the honour bestowed upon her, the philanthropist provided financial support running into millions of naira, which was used to procure skill acquisition equipment and grants for traders and vulnerable individuals.
Items distributed included sewing machines, barbing kits, salon tools, and wheelbarrows. Beneficiaries also received food items such as 50 kg bags of rice and garri, cartons of noodles, loaves of bread, and other essential supplies.
The Mission of Mercy outreach not only strengthened unity among the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba communities in Imo State but also reaffirmed High Chief Chetachi NWOGA-ECTON’s commitment to humanitarian service and community development.
Only Fools Assume They Can Fight the State Like El-Rufai Did — Ope Banwo
Public affairs commentator Ope Banwo has described as “strategic folly” the assumption that a former political office holder can openly confront the Nigerian state without consequences.
Banwo made the remarks while analysing the recent detention of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, which he said underscores the imbalance between individual ambition and institutional power.
“Only fools believe they can challenge the state the way El-Rufai did and continue life as usual,” Banwo stated. “The Nigerian state is not a debating club.”
He noted that El-Rufai repeatedly made grave allegations against government institutions on national platforms, including claims of conspiracies and surveillance, without publicly providing evidence. According to Banwo, such statements, whether true or not, inevitably provoke a response from authorities determined to maintain control.
Banwo explained that when a former official challenges state authority, it is often interpreted not as dissent but as defiance. “The state reacts to defiance, not arguments,” he said.
He further argued that El-Rufai appeared to overestimate his political backing, assuming that his past influence would shield him from institutional action. “That assumption collapsed the moment power called his bluff,” Banwo added.
According to him, the involvement of agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Department of State Services illustrates how swiftly the machinery of state can move once a decision is made.
Banwo also highlighted the public’s muted reaction as a crucial lesson. “There were no mass protests. That silence shows the difference between perceived influence and real leverage,” he said.
He stressed that political power in Nigeria is sustained by active control of institutions, not by reputation. “Once you lose the levers, your bravado becomes a liability,” Banwo noted.
He concluded that El-Rufai’s experience should caution other former power brokers against mistaking visibility for authority. “Fighting the state without power is not courage; it is miscalculation,” he said.
society
GENERAL BULAMA BIU APPLAUDS SUCCESSFUL APC CONGRESSES, URGES NEW EXECUTIVES TO FOCUS ON GOOD GOVERNANCE
GENERAL BULAMA BIU APPLAUDS SUCCESSFUL APC CONGRESSES, URGES NEW EXECUTIVES TO FOCUS ON GOOD GOVERNANCE
Major General Abdulmalik Bulama Biu (Rtd), mni, Sarkin Yakin Biu, has extended his heartfelt congratulations to the newly elected Ward and Local Government Executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the successful conduct of the party congresses across Borno State.
In a statement he personally issued to mark this significant milestone, General Biu commended the peaceful and well-organized nature of the congresses, highlighting them as a testament to the unity, maturity, and democratic spirit that characterize the APC. He praised the leadership, stakeholders, and dedicated members of the party for their commitment and discipline, which contributed to the smooth and credible outcome of the elections.
Addressing the newly elected executives, Biu emphasized that their victory is not just an honor, but a mandate for greater service, responsibility, and sacrifice. “Our party faithful look up to you to help shape leadership choices that are credible, experienced, and deeply committed to delivering the dividends of democracy to our people,” he stated, urging them to work sincerely and fairly to strengthen the party at the grassroots level.
He called upon the new leaders to promote unity among members and support good governance to ensure the continued progress of Borno State and the nation as a whole.
In closing, Major General Biu assured the new executives of his unwavering support and extended his best wishes for their tenure, wishing everyone a prosperous and blessed Ramadan.
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