I prefer to die than pay ransom to kidnappers, says El-Rufai’s wife

The wife of the Kaduna State Governor, Hajiya Asia El-Rufai, on Wednesday, kicked against the payment of ransom to kidnappers in the country.

The governor’s wife, who addressed participants at a peace and security workshop organized for Kaduna women by Equal Access International (EAI), said nobody should pay ransom to free her in the case of a kidnap.

Mrs. El-Rufai added that she would prefer to die than for anybody to pay a ransom to kidnappers if she is abducted.

She said women have a great role to play in the ongoing efforts to save Nigeria from the grips of criminals causing problems in various parts of the country.

She said: “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.

READ ALSO: Again, El-Rufai vows never to pay ransom to bandits, not even if his son is kidnapped

“For as long as you continue to pay 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 a 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 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.

“You will see that some of them you even give them the ransom and they kill the person, so you have lost twice.”

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