The 77-year-old who was kidnapped on his birthday on September 21 reportedly said: “I was let go the day after ransom was collected.” The kidnappers initially demanded N100 million, which they later reduced to N90 million. It is unclear how much the family eventually paid to get Falae freed. But it is clear that money changed hands, to go by Falae’s comments to reporters at his home in Akure, Ondo State, after his release. By his account, it was a harrowing four days in captivity for the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) who was seized at his farm at Ilado in Akure.
The intervention by the police and the official involvement of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, prompted by the presidency, may have made a difference in the kidnap drama. But money may have made the ultimate difference.
The police said in a statement: “As professionals, it is our conviction that the unprecedented and massive deployment of police resources and men to support search and rescue operations put pressure on the criminals to release the elder statesman.” In trying to take the credit for Falae’s release, the police perhaps underrated the power of money.
On the payment of ransom, the police said: “As a law enforcement agency guided by rule of law and professional ethics, we do not under any circumstances encourage the payment of ransom to kidnappers or other criminals.” It is convenient to speak theoretically. It should be appreciated that Falae’s life was probably in danger. According to him, “there were six of them with three or four guns, and every half hour or so they will say, ‘Baba, we are going to kill you. If you don’t give us money, we are going to kill you.” These may not have been impotent threats.
The police also said: “Whatever the family did as regards payment of ransom was outside the knowledge and consent of the police and at this point, we wish to advise that in future, families who fall victims of such acts should rather work closely with the police component of the rescue initiative so that we can achieve the primary purpose of rescuing the victim alive.”
Again, this sounds like theoretical talk. The practical considerations that come up in a kidnapping, especially concerning the safety of the victim, must not be downplayed. More practically, the police should concentrate on apprehending Falae’s kidnappers and bringing them to justice, rather than this unproductive effort to teach the families of kidnap victims how to respond to abductors. It looks like the police are busy chasing shadows.
END
Be the first to comment