Time to end kidnapping in Nigeria

The rate of kidnapping in Nigeria is alarming. Things have now reached a point whereby one has to cast sideway glances to be sure that one isn’t being followed by gunmen whenever one is going out. One would fidget at the mere touch of air on one’s hair, mistaking it for the touch of a human being. There is an urgent need for the issue to be addressed because the rate at which it is escalating is worrisome.

We now grope in fear and agony, asking “who’s next on the kidnapping list?” This, of course, would be expected in this part of the world where the economy is in dire crisis, with the cost of living being sky-high. Unemployment is a serious issue in the country. Those who had jobs before have lost them to the fistful force of economic meltdown.

Miscreants venture into the business of kidnapping, without empathy towards humanity, because it  fetches them quick money. They inflict pain and fear on their victims with a view to getting ransom as quickly as possible. This has got to stop!

This is an appeal from a concerned citizen to the Federal Government and all stakeholders to join forces to kill this menace before things get out of hand. Though the Federal Government is responsible for the safety of Nigerians, it is also paramount for Nigerians too to be security-conscious and to desist from acts that are life-threatening.

Babatunde Aishat

University of Ibadan.