The Executive Chairman of Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, Mallam Garba Olayinka Lukman Agbelere, has admitted that local governments sometimes secretly contribute money towards ransom payments for kidnapped victims, insisting that such interventions should not be made public.
Agbelere, also known as Lukman Olayinka Garba, disclosed this during a telephone conversation with SaharaReporters on Friday morning while responding to allegations that he advised the family of four persons abducted in Abangbe Village to raise a ₦50 million ransom demanded by their captors.
The victims, identified as Abike, Semiu, Sofiat and Ramadan, were reportedly kidnapped by suspected bandits on October 25, 2026, in Abangbe Village, near Oke-Oyi, in Ilorin East Local Government Area.
The chairman’s admission comes amid growing concerns over insecurity in Kwara State and the increasing financial burden placed on families of kidnapped victims.
Kwara Family Allegedly Asked to Raise ₦50 Million Ransom
The victims’ family had told SaharaReporters that it sent a representative to the Ilorin East Local Government Secretariat to seek government intervention and financial assistance.
According to the family, the representative was allegedly advised to find a way to pay the ransom because the government could not defeat bandits at the moment.
However, Agbelere denied discussing the ransom demand with the family during his visit to the community.
He insisted that residents only appealed for improved security and that he was unaware of the amount demanded by the kidnappers.
The chairman said he was not in the area when the attack occurred but sent a representative to commiserate with the victims’ relatives before subsequently visiting the community.
“I was even wondering. The moment this matter (bandit attack) happened, I was not even around. I had to send someone to go there to condole with them first.
“Then secondly, I called the ward chairman (of our party), the councillor, to ask them to go there, that I would visit them any moment from now,” he said.
Agbelere added that he later visited the affected community alongside Commissioner Ali Jimoh.
“The moment I came back, I called Honourable Ali, the commissioner who came from their place. I was aware of the incident. We went there together to console with them,” he stated.
‘Government Cannot Do Everything,’ Kwara Chairman Tells Residents
The Ilorin East council chairman said he advised residents to remain vigilant and take measures to protect themselves against attacks, arguing that the government could not provide security everywhere simultaneously.
According to him, communities should not depend entirely on the government for protection.
“When I reached them, I was only advising them that everybody needs to be vigilant.
“I told them, like in my own community where I come from, we contribute money to buy guns to protect our people from these bandit attacks.
“I told them that the government cannot do everything. You cannot leave everything in the hands of the government because we cannot be everywhere at a time,” he added.
Agbelere maintained that the victims’ relatives did not mention the ransom demand during his visit and that he did not know the amount demanded by the abductors.
‘We Secretly Contribute to Ransom Payments’
Despite denying knowledge of the ₦50 million ransom demand, the chairman acknowledged that he intended to send the ward chairman to the affected family to provide financial assistance.
He subsequently disclosed that local governments sometimes contribute money towards ransom payments for kidnapped victims, although such interventions are not publicly announced.
“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.
The chairman further explained why such payments were kept secret.
“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,” Agbelere stated.
His remarks raise questions about the extent to which public authorities in Kwara State and other parts of Nigeria provide financial assistance towards ransom payments and whether such interventions comply with the country’s anti-terrorism legislation.
Nigeria’s Anti-Terrorism Law Criminalises Ransom Payments
The chairman’s disclosure comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which criminalises ransom payments to kidnappers and terrorists.
The law was signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari on May 12, 2022, following its passage by the National Assembly.
Section 14(2) of the legislation provides that anyone who transfers funds, makes payments or colludes with an abductor, kidnapper or terrorist to receive ransom for the release of a person who has been wrongfully confined, imprisoned or kidnapped commits a felony.
The provision prescribes a minimum prison term of 15 years upon conviction.
The legislation repealed and replaced the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011, and its subsequent amendments.
The law has generated public debate over ransom payments, particularly as families of kidnapped victims increasingly struggle to raise millions of naira demanded by armed groups.
Agbelere’s admission therefore raises questions about the legality of local government contributions towards ransom payments and the potential implications for public officials involved in such interventions.
Insecurity Worsens in Kwara as Families Seek Government Intervention
The disclosure also comes amid growing insecurity in parts of Kwara State, where residents have repeatedly raised concerns over bandit attacks, kidnappings and the increasing financial burden placed on families negotiating with armed groups.
The abduction of the four residents of Abangbe Village has further heightened concerns over the safety of communities in Ilorin East Local Government Area.
Residents and families of kidnapped victims have continued to appeal to the government and security agencies to intensify operations against armed groups and prevent further attacks.
As of the time of filing this report, the families of Abike, Semiu, Sofiat and Ramadan had appealed to the government and security agencies to urgently intervene and secure their safe release.
Kwara Reporters will continue to monitor developments surrounding the abduction and efforts to secure the victims’ release.
