Evans- Notorious Kidnapping suspect under investigation |
Kidnapping for personal or financial gain is on the rise in
Nigeria and has become an everyday occurrence. It is so worrisome to the extent
that even police officers were abducted, and the agency was forced to purchase
freedom for their men. These are not political violence but a criminal act that
require competent security agencies to respond and defeat the crooks. Criminals
have never been this audacious in the history of Nigeria. There is no
gainsaying in the fact that without an effective security organization with the
capability to tackle and crush the kidnapping epidemic, economic development
becomes extremely difficult.
At the moment, kidnapping is widespread in the Northern part
of Nigeria; while Boko Haram terrorist group abduct young girls for ransom in
the North East, the bandits that operate in the North West axis keep, targeting
the rich, famous, including poor people in the society for monetary gain. From
Zamfara to Sokoto, Kebbi, and Kaduna, the story is all the same. Recalled the
Chairman of the Board Universal Basic Education Commissions (UBEC), Muhammed
Mahmood and his daughter were kidnapped along the Kaduna-Abuja Road and the
authority paid an undisclosed amount of money before their abductors released
them. In the same route, some student activists were abducted and paid as low
as fifteen thousand naira ($41 equivalent) each to regain freedom. It is funny,
but the bandits collect money from people based on their worth. It is a
business. While there are no official estimates of the numbers of kidnappings,
and many are never reported but the reality in Nigeria of today is that
everyone lives in fear of kidnapping for ransom irrespective of status.
Recently, a Professor at Obafemi Awolowo was kidnapped in
the South West of Nigeria, and the University paid five million naira ($14000
equivalent) to secure his freedom. The victim described his abductors as
herdsmen, the same people who have been kidnapping, killing and raping people
across the nation. This is just to mention a few out of numerous high-profile
kidnapping for profit in Nigeria.
Kidnapping as National
epidemic
KIDNAPPING is the illegal seizure and holding of a person
for ransom. It happens everywhere in Nigeria. Leadership failure, ineffective
law enforcement, Poverty, unemployment, lack of opportunity for youth and
decline in societal values are mainly responsible. Kidnapping is an act caused
by criminal action; it is traumatic and could result in loss of life if not
carefully and rationally responded to. Also, it has a severe destabilizing
effect on the affected family and Nigeria at large that could have serious
international repercussions.
Kidnapping in Nigeria comes in two categories; political
kidnappers and criminal kidnappers. Of course, the varieties do overlap;
sometimes all two general types are incorporated in on the case. The political
kidnappers or terrorists have publicity in mind to achieve a political goal.
The actors kidnap to force governments or those with money and power to
implement some change or act. Remember Leah Sharibu and schoolgirls abducted in
2014. Primarily, Nigeria is dealing with criminal kidnappers, and the agenda of
the criminal kidnapper is to make quick money.
The most alarming and disturbing form of kidnapping in Nigeria is those
who kidnap for ritual purposes. Uncountable
numbers of children, women, and men have been abducted without traces, and the
deed is ongoing. Unlike political
kidnappers who kidnap for political agenda, dialogue and show of weakness on
the part of the government may not yield a positive result.
What to do
The Nigerian government claims security agencies are working
hard; fighting terrorism on the one hand and dealing with bandits and organize
crimes all over the country. The presidency has initiated dialogues with
herdsmen and Cattle breeders association to find common ground. Also, President
Buhari has given a marching order to the head police and military to bring
everything under control.
First, the Nigeria government must understand who they are
fighting to identify the best approach to adopt. You cannot beg a thief not to
steal your properties as long as there is an opportunity is there to do so. At
this point, containment is necessary through the rapid application of force,
and adequate law enforcement to deter the criminals. The government must use
all the acceptable instrument of law to overcome this menace. Hence, engaging
in such dialogue with criminals and their sponsors may not yield result.
Meanwhile, the government should move faster by empowering
police with funding and equipment to fight the bandits. Intelligence is the
life and blood of effective policing. The law enforcement agencies should work
with the community to identify the criminals and bring them to book. Citizens
should have the confidence to provide actionable information to Police without
fear of becoming a victim. The reality of today is Nigerians are afraid of
volunteering information to police for lack of confidence. Also, the government
should as a matter of urgency device a way to mop up the small arms in the
circulation. How and where the bandits are getting the weapons, the use remains
issue to resolve.
Confront Insider Threats
Experience has shown that criminals have people within law
enforcement, Military, and community working for them. The police and army must
find a method to deal with malicious insiders within their organization who
collude or work with the bandits. It was evident that most operations of the
criminals were successful because of collaboration with those who supposed to
protect citizens. There has been a rumor that some of them may be providing
information and weapons assistance to bandits/kidnappers and share part of the
money collected from victims. It is time for police leadership to look inward
to identify the bad eggs and purge them out of the service.
Citizen Awareness
There is no easy solution. Currently, the political office
holders travel by train from Abuja to Kaduna while top business executives from
the region move around with a minimum of four armed guards. Even, the men of
God (Pastors, Imam and Sheik) who are supposed to trust God for their security
now rely on armed law enforcement officers for protection. The clergies and not
taking things for granted. Over time,
the insecurity in Nigeria and the need for personal protection has shifted the
additional burden on the overstretched Nigerian Police workforce. The police
have a constitutional role in maintaining law and order and protecting ordinary
citizens. At this point, the government must intensify efforts to educate her
citizen, empower police to mitigate the crisis and improve on good governance
to reduce poverty and those conditions that make young people turn to criminal
activities.
Dr. Oludare Ogunlana
is a Security Expert and writes from Washington DC.
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