The House of Representatives has called on the federal government to discontinue the rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant terrorists, kidnappers and bandits, arguing that the policy undermines the fight against insecurity and emboldens criminal elements.
The resolution was reached during Wednesday’s plenary following consideration of a motion to disrupt the financial networks sustaining kidnapping and terrorism, sponsored by Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos).
Presenting the motion, Mr Kuye urged the federal government to intensify efforts to dismantle the financial structures that enable kidnapping and terrorism by strengthening financial intelligence, improving inter-agency collaboration and ensuring strict enforcement of anti-money laundering laws.
He cited reports from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and independent security research organisations, which estimated that Nigerians paid about N2.23 trillion as ransom to kidnappers between January 2021 and June 2025.
According to him, investigations by the National Counter Terrorism Centre under the Office of the National Security Adviser revealed that some Point-of-Sale (POS) operators and other financial channels have been used to process ransom payments and conceal financial transactions, making it difficult for security agencies to trace the funds or prosecute those involved.
