Demola Olarewaju, Special Assistant, Digital Media Strategy to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has urged security agencies to question former Communications Minister Isa Pantami following his admission of soliciting N50 million as ransom for the release of the kidnapped Al-Kadriyar sisters.
Reacting to Pantami’s revelation, made on Sunday, Olarewaju, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party, expressed concern over the potential repercussions of such a statement on national security.
The bandits had kidnapped the Al-Kadriyar sisters in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and killed Nabeeha, the eldest of them.
Pantami’s statement on X read, ”I am personally not in support of paying ransom to criminals. However, since it becomes clear, we lost our daughter Nabeeha yesterday, and the 5 remaining daughters have been threatened, as I spoke with the father on the matter yesterday and today.
The former communications minister continued, ”Furthermore, I spoke with a friend and a brother who offered to pay the remaining 50 million Naira of the 60m immediately. I conveyed the account number of the father of our daughters, Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, to the friend and brother to send the money directly.
”Any additional amount earlier generated from yesterday, the father can use to treat the daughters and other family members in sha Allah.”
In response, Olarewaju expressed his concern, stating, ”Normally, Pantami should be invited for questioning for jeopardising national security and safety of lives with that reckless and thoughtless public statement about ransom donation; but the sad reality is that Bola Tinubu is clueless and careless,” he added.