It has come to the notice of the state Government that some media organisations have deliberately chosen to popularise the attempt to raise ransom sums for bandits than to promote the efforts being made to cleanse the state of the entire menace of armed banditry and other criminalities.
The Punch online today reported that some families of victims of banditry in the state are raising an appeal fund to pay bandits for the release of their family members, ostensibly to portray the inadequacies of Government and Security operatives in the fight against the bandits.
The government wishes to draw the attention of the General public that the fight against banditry must be a collective affair and that payments of ransoms must not be a priority but rather, the support to the security operatives to rescue abducted citizens must be the priority.
"Payments of ransoms on selected victims by their respective families only encourage and empower the bandits to acquire more arms to further terrorise the people. The Government wishes to assure the public that all those who have been abducted by bandits will be freed if the total support is granted to the security operatives".
The Government observes that in the last few weeks, the operation of the Air force and the Army resulted in the wiping out of at least seven camps of bandits in the forests and the rescue of over 100 abductees after the killing of more than 100 bandits in the operations.
"It is therefore advised that all citizens, especially families of abductees should give their total support to the Government and Security operatives efforts at finding a lasting solution to the security challenges facing the state".
Zailani Bappa
Special Adviser
Public Enlightenment, Mefia and Communications.
23/9/2020
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