TheCable

The Nigeria police force says it is unaware that the family of Olu Falae paid any ransom in exchange of his freedom as has been claimed.

Falae was abducted on his 77th birthday and his captors demanded a N100m ransom. He was released four days later, Solomon Arase, the inspector-general of police, saying no ransom was paid.

However, the septuagenarian punctured that claim on Monday when he revealed that a ransom was indeed paid.

Responding, Arase promised to investigate the matter while warning families of kidnapped victims against paying ransom in order not to encourage the illicit activity.

“The inspector-general of police has been inundated with enquires on claims by Chief Olu Falae and his family that a ransom was paid to his abductors following the kidnapping incident involving him on 21st September, 2015 and eventual release on 24th September, 2015,” read a statement issued on Tuesday.

“As a law enforcement agency guided by rule of law and professional ethics, we do not under any circumstance encourage the payment of ransom to kidnappers or other criminals as it is tantamount to rewarding crime and motivating other criminals to follow that path.

“As such, the police was not in any way privy to any arrangement that would have led to payment of ransom by the elder statesman or his family. For the respected chief to declare that he paid a ransom for his release is therefore, a demotivating news.

“Our approach was a professional response to what we saw as a crime against a respected national personality known to embrace peace and who has dedicated most of his valuable life to selfless service of our nation.

“The police under the leadership of the inspector-general of police deployed our unique intelligence and operational capabilities, including police helicopters for aerial surveillance. Our intelligence and operational teams comprising intelligence response team (a special anti-kidnapping unit), conventional and mobile policemen were deployed for rescue operation.

“In the process, we were able to identify the major actors and currently high level police activities are being emplaced to apprehend and bring them to justice.

“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.

“This is much so, that history has shown that even where ransom is proven to have been paid the life or safe return of a kidnap victim may not be guaranteed. The primary interest of the Police in this instance and granted the circumstances of the incident), was the safe rescue of Chief Olu Falae which was achieved.

“In this instance, having confirmed that ransom was paid to the abductors, the police will be interested in widening their investigative scope with a view to exploring the lead further with regards to how payment was made and to whom such payment was made.”