Kidnapping: When crime comes dangerously close

By Ifeoluwa Adeyeye

THE recent abduction of a 60-year-old trader in Monatan, Ibadan, is more than just another crime report. It’s a warning sign. On May 2, 2026, the man was reportedly kidnapped by four masked armed men while returning home at night around 8:47 pm along the Jinarere axis of Alakia road. What makes the incident unsettling isn’t just the act itself, but the fact that the location, Monatan, is not widely known as a kidnapping hotspot, yet the crime occurred there without resistance. This raises a troubling question; is insecurity spreading to areas once considered relatively safe? At the national level, kidnapping has evolved into one of Nigeria’s most persistent security crisis, often driven by ransom demands and organised criminal network. Kidnappings are not new, they are becoming more frequent and more dangerous. They are spreading geographically, even to areas least expected.

Security agencies often respond swiftly after incidents occur, deploying operatives, issuing statements and promising investigations. In the Monatan case, police confirmed that efforts are ongoing to rescue the victim and apprehend the perpetrators. But, this reactive approach raises a critical concern: why do these crimes continue to happen in the first place? If security strategies were truly preventive and intelligence-driven, would kidnappers operate so boldly, intercepting victims on public roads at night and day?

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This issue may not be a total absence of action, but rather weak intelligence gathering at grassroots level, inadequate surveillance systems, and poor community security collaboration. In simple terms, crime persists where risk is low and reward is high. The Monatan incident suggests a shift. Criminal actors may be expanding into areas with less security presence, lower suspicion level and community that are not yet security conscious as eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. The act of inertia is how insecurity spreads. Not explosively but gradually, one unnoticed incident becomes two, then three until a new hotspot is formed.

If Ibadan and Nigeria at large are to curb this trend, a different approach is required. Intelligence-led policing security agency must prioritise local intelligence network. Community informants, digital surveillance and data tracking should be strengthened to detect threat before they materialise. Community-based security system is critical and desirable, residents must not remain passive. Functional neighborhood watch triggers systems and stronger collaboration with police can significantly reduce response time and improve early warnings. Strategic patrol and community visibility thrive in low-risk environments. Increased patrol, especially in emerging areas like Monatan, would create visible deterrence. Technology integration, including CCTV systems, vehicle tracking and emergency response infrastructure should no longer be luxuries but necessary in urban centres like Ibadan. Accountability and transparency by security agencies should go beyond assurance; the public needs to see measurable outcome, rescues, arrests and dismantled networks.

The kidnapping in Monatan is not just an isolated tragedy, it’s a signal. A signal that insecurity is no longer confined to known danger zones. A signal that existing measures may not be enough and, most importantly, a signal that without urgent and proactive intervention, more “safe” areas may soon become vulnerable. The real question is no longer whether action is being taken, it is whether that action is working and working fast enough.

•Adeyeye is a student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State.