Insecurity: National Security Adviser, service chiefs meet as FG, UK brainstorm on Nigerian kidnappers

The National Security Adviser, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, has urged all security, intelligence and other relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to take responsibility for protecting the lives and property of Nigerians.

Ribadu said this at the briefing of service chiefs and heads of agencies on the roadmap for establishing the proposed Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell on Thursday in Abuja.

The NSA was represented by the national coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), retired Rear Adm. Yaminu Musa, according to a statement by NCTC-ONSA spokesman Raphael Towoju on Thursday in Abuja.

Ribadu said all stakeholders needed to come together to find a comprehensive solution to combating the menace of kidnap-for-ransom and other related crimes bedevilling the country.

He said the first security and defence partnership dialogue between Nigeria and the UK was held in London in February 2022 as part of the concerted efforts by ONSA to address the menace of kidnapping in Nigeria.

According to him, one of the agreements reached during the dialogue was the need to create an anti-kidnap multi-agency fusion cell to help stem the threats of kidnapping in the country.

“So far, eight workshops have been held by personnel of relevant stakeholders working with experts of the UK National Crime Agency (NCA). The workshops culminated in the setting up of a multi-agency writing team to contribute to the formulation of a national anti-kidnapping strategy,” said the national security adviser.

The NSA expressed appreciation to the UK through the high commissioner for the support provided in the nation’s efforts to tackle the issue of kidnapping and other crimes in Nigeria.

UK ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, said the first duty of any government was the security of its citizens, adding that the issue of kidnapping brings trauma to families.

Mr Montgomery reiterated the commitment of the UK government to fully implement the security and defence partnership between the two nations.