Mallam Garba Olayinka Lukman Agbelere, Chairman of Ilorin East Local Government Area in Kwara State, has admitted that local governments sometimes secretly contribute money towards ransom payments to free kidnapped victims.
Agbelere disclosed this during a phone conversation with SaharaReporters on Friday while reacting to claims that he told the family of four people abducted in Abangbe Village to raise the ₦50 million demanded by their captors.
The victims, identified as Abike, Semiu, Sofiat and Ramadan, were reportedly kidnapped by suspected bandits on October 25, 2026.
The chairman denied asking the family to pay the ransom. He explained that his visit to the community was to sympathise with residents and advise them to remain alert.
He also said the government could not provide security in every location, urging communities to take extra steps to protect themselves.
However, Agbelere revealed that he planned to send the ward chairman to assist the affected family financially. He added that local governments sometimes contribute towards ransom payments.
“We can’t pay all the ransom; we can only contribute. This is what I have always done for people who have the same issues: to contribute towards helping them pay the ransom from the local government,” he said.
“You know it is not good for us to let people know we are paying these ransoms as government. But we do it silently just to help them. But we can’t mention the amount we paid to them,” he added.
His comments come despite the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which criminalises ransom payments and prescribes at least 15 years in prison for offenders.
Meanwhile, the victims’ families are still appealing to the government and security agencies to help secure their release.
