Kidnapping has become a big challenge in Nigeria. There is no month in Nigeria when we do not read about cases of kidnapping on the pages of newspapers.
Kidnapping refers to an action of abducting someone and holding them captive. It is one of the most serious criminal offenses with which a person can be charged.
There are many cases of kidnapping in Nigeria though there is lack of adequate data on the figures; the unforgettable kidnap of Chibok schoolgirls where over 200 girls was abducted in Borno State on April 14, 2014.
Or the subsequent abduction of Dapchi schoolgirls which occurred four years after the Chibok Schoolgirls were kidnapped.
Also, the Kankara schoolboys attack which occurred on December 11, 2020 where over 800 pupils from the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State or the kidnap of about 140 students from a Baptist High School for ransom in northwest Kaduna in July 2021, or the kidnap of the Commissioner’s wife and driver in Benue on August 3, 2021.
There is the kidnap of the Catholic priest from the Diocese of Maiduguri, Rev. Elijah Juma Wada, who was kidnapped. Moreover, in November 2020, nine students from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State were kidnapped along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway. The students were reportedly traveling to Lagos for a programme at the Nigerian French Language village in Badagry when the incident occurred.
From my perspective, kidnapping can be reduced in Nigeria when there is good standard of living, provision of employments for the youths, stiffer penalties for culprits, good leadership at all level of government, promulgation of laws and its enforcement, proper data of immigrants and foreign nomads in the country and also sound moral and religious teachings. These will help reduce the unfortunate act of kidnapping in Nigeria.
What can be done to reduce kidnapping in Nigeria? First, there must be the establishment of effective border control across Nigeria. Then, there should provision of reliable and unique identification number for each individual; National ID Card, Driver’s license, National Identification Number also known as NIN and Voter Registration Cards for tracking social benefits other identification purposes.
Curbing corruption among Nigerian Law Enforcement Agencies is also important; if the corruption within the law enforcement agencies is tackled, the problem of kidnapping for ransom will be drastically reduced. This will in turn restore the confidence Nigerians have in the system
Further, there is need to create a better relationship between the locals and Nigerian Law Enforcement Agencies.
However, in relation to Nigeria’s present situation, the Nigerian government should establish dedicated community policing, therefore creating a better relationship with the local traditional leaders, religious leaders, youths, and other social organisations within communities in Nigeria. This will help to curb the problem of kidnapping in Nigeria. Further, there is need to cut off the logistics of kidnappers in Nigeria.
Mary Oluwatosin Afolabi,
Maiduguri.
and then