Falana Urges Kidnap Victims to Sue Federal Government for Ransom Refunds, Cites Constitutional Failure
Human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has stirred nationwide debate after urging Nigerians who have paid ransom to kidnappers to take the Federal Government to court and demand reimbursement. Speaking at the opening of the Legal Year of the Faculty of Law, Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, Falana argued that the government has consistently failed in its constitutional duty to protect citizens from the rising wave of kidnapping.
According to details gathered by Akahi News, Falana emphasised that Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution places the security and welfare of the people at the heart of governmental responsibility. He noted that the persistent surge in abductions amounts to a clear breach of this duty, as well as the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which Nigeria is bound to uphold.
Government Accused of “Class-Based Response”
In a strongly worded critique, the SAN condemned what he described as a “class-based response” to kidnapping cases. He stated that security agencies often swing into swift action when influential individuals are abducted, yet remain slow or indifferent when the victims are ordinary Nigerians.
Falana, according to information obtained by Akahi News, stressed that such unequal treatment undermines trust in the state and emboldens criminal networks already thriving across several regions of the country.
He argued that taking legal action to seek a refund of ransom payments would not only reinforce the rights of victims but also compel the government to confront the growing insecurity with the seriousness it demands.
Startling NBS Data Shows Trillions Paid in Ransom
Fresh statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) underline the severity of the situation. The Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS) 2024 revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering N2.23 trillion in ransom between May 2023 and April 2024.
Journalists told Akahi News that the report estimated more than 2.2 million kidnap incidents occurred within the one-year period, with victims paying an average ransom of N2.7 million each. The figures paint a grim picture of a growing criminal enterprise that has severely burdened families and communities.
Security analysts who spoke with newsmen warned that kidnapping has now transformed into an entrenched, profit-driven industry. Many analysts believe that without urgent, coordinated, and intelligence-driven intervention, the country risks normalising mass abductions as part of daily life.
Calls for Policy Overhaul and Stronger Security Structures
Observers noted, as reported by Akahi News, that Falana’s recommendation could open a new legal frontier in the fight against insecurity. If victims begin to challenge the state’s failure in court, the judiciary may become a crucial venue for compelling accountability and triggering systemic reforms.
Analysts say the government must overhaul policing strategies, expand community-based security mechanisms, and invest heavily in intelligence gathering to reverse the worrying trend.
For now, Falana’s remarks have thrown open a bold question: Should citizens begin to legally demand compensation from a government that has failed to protect them? Many Nigerians are watching to see whether this call will spark a wave of lawsuits or policy reforms in the coming months.
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By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News
Joseph Iyaji is a journalist, educator, and founder of Akahi G. International, Akahi Tutors, and Akahi News. Read more about him here.
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