Kidnapping has become a rampant and lucrative crime in Nigeria, as gunmen target unsuspecting travellers, students, workers and residents for ransom.
On Thursday, gunmen believed to be kidnappers ambushed an Abuja-bound passengers’ bus in Ondo State and abducted at least 17 persons from the vehicle.
The incident occurred in Isua, Akoko South-East Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The victims were travelling from Lagos to Abuja in an 18-passenger bus when the gunmen attacked their vehicle and marched them into the bush, leaving only three of the passengers behind.
A source who confirmed the incident to Daily Trust in Akure, the state capital, said the attackers whisked the travellers into the bush and had not contacted their families for ransom.
The source, who preferred not to be named for security reasons, said the incident had been reported to the security agents.
The security operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Amotekun Corps, Army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) immediately swung into action and rescued some of the victims.
Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), in the state, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, said one of the kidnappers was shot dead when the security men engaged them in a gun battle.
In Kwara State, another group of gunmen abducted four persons, including a vigilante in Asa Local Government Area of the state.
Hon Aliyu Wahab Opekunle, who represented the district in the 9th Kwara assembly said “Four captives are still with the kidnappers and we have not heard from them yet.”
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state police command, Okasanmi Ajayi, who also confirmed the incident, said that the command was on top of the situation to rescue the kidnapped victims.
Kidnapping is one of the major security challenges facing Nigeria. According to a report by SBM Intelligence, a leading research consultancy group, an average of 13 persons was abducted daily in Nigeria in the first half of 2021, bringing to 2,371 the number of persons kidnapped in the country within that period.
The report also indicated that N10 billion ($19.96 million as of June 30) was demanded as ransom for the kidnap victims. However, the report did not state the total amount paid.
The report showed that Niger State recorded the highest number of persons abducted, with 643 victims in 28 kidnap incidents, while 58 people were killed during the abductions.
This was followed by Zamfara State with 519 kidnap victims in seven incidents, leading to the death of 22 people, while Kaduna State recorded 360 kidnap victims in 26 incidents, leading to the deaths of 41 persons.
Some of the causes and effects of kidnapping in Nigeria include:
- Poor governance and weak institutions that fail to provide adequate security and justice for the citizens.
- Poverty and unemployment that drive some people to resort to crime as a means of survival or enrichment.
- Insecurity and instability caused by insurgency, banditry, militancy and communal clashes that create opportunities for criminal activities.
- Greed and desperation by some kidnappers who see kidnapping as a lucrative business and demand exorbitant ransoms from their victims or their families.
- Trauma and loss suffered by the kidnap victims and their relatives who endure physical and psychological torture, injury or death.
