The spokesperson for the Nigerian Senate, Yemi Adaramodu, has debunked any suggestion that the federal government paid ransom before bandits released victims who recently regained freedom after they were kidnapped in Kebbi, Niger and Kwara States.

Adaramodu, who represents Ekiti South senatorial district, made the clarification on Friday during an interview on Channels Television.

According to him, the contact and negotiations between the government and the bandits could have taken various forms, but no money was paid in exchange for the release of the victims.

The Senator added that the details of such operations might not be disclosed to the public as they are matters of national security.

“From our side at the National Assembly, we believe the Federal Government did not pay any ransom to anybody. If there is any contact with the bandits, there are various types — it can be forceful, persuasive or a mix of both,” he said.

Responding to concerns that no images or reports of captured gunmen were released after the latest rescues, Adaramodu said that doesn’t rule out the fact that there was a confrontation between the security forces and the bandits before the victims were released.

Naijaonpoint reports that he argued that the bandits usually abandon their victims and prioritise their own escape when they face superior firepower.

“If you have not seen the corpses of abductors or them being handcuffed, that does not negate the possibility of intense confrontation.

“When they sense superior firepower, they run and leave the victims behind,” the lawmaker added.

Adaramodu also disclosed that the Senate has set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Kebbi school abduction.