Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed that the Buhari and Jonathan administrations paid ransom to kidnappers.
Obasanjo made the disclosure while hosting members of Tiv professionals Group (TPG) at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Wednesday May 5.
The former President who noted that those in power have always denied doing so, urged them to develop a means to deal with kidnappers and bandits as against ransom payment.
He said;
“Government has always paid ransom. Not only this government, even during Jonathan (administration). They paid ransom, but they deny it.”
He also maintained that fighting insecurity to a standstill requires a “carrot and stick” approach.
Obasanjo added;
“Some people are still reaching out, and hoping that lives can still be saved. But a situation whereby anybody thinks paying ransom is the way out, that person is folly. He is a folly. This is because when you pay ransom, you encourage. But if you are not going to pay ransom, you must have the means to deal heavily with it. You must have the stick to deal with it.”