The Federal Government is considering offers of foreign assistance in the fight against kidnapping and other high-profile crimes, disclosed Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris. He revealed that the United States and unspecified other countries had extended offers to aid Nigeria in this endeavor.

Addressing reporters after a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, Idris reiterated the President’s directive to security agencies to ensure the safe return of all kidnap victims.

Recent weeks have seen a surge in kidnapping incidents, particularly in Northern Nigeria. Notable among them was the abduction of 287 pupils from the Local Education Authority (LEA) primary school in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna, and the kidnapping of 61 individuals in an attack on the Buda community in Kajuru Local Government Area, also in Kaduna.

Additionally, bandits kidnapped 16 Qur’anic students in Sokoto, while reports emerged of women being abducted from an Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camp in Borno, although this incident lacks official confirmation.

In response to mounting public pressure, the government has indicated openness to external assistance, with Idris highlighting President Tinubu’s firm stance against ransom payments.

While acknowledging offers of support from multiple nations, Idris emphasized that the government is still evaluating these offers and will communicate its decision in due course. He reassured the public of ongoing efforts by security agencies to swiftly rescue those abducted, underscoring the government’s refusal to yield to ransom demands.

“We’re optimistic that these children and other abducted individuals will soon be reunited with their families, as the government remains steadfast in its commitment to their safe return,” Idris concluded.