In the last few days and weeks, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory has been in the news for very wrong reasons. The media is awash with stories of kidnappings of citizens from both the outskirts and center of Abuja. People in FCT are no longer at ease.
From those kidnapped from far flung suburbs to those kidnapped along the Airport Road, from those picked from their estates to those abducted by renegade one-chance taxi operators. It has been a tumultuous and scary January for Abuja residents.
The fearful events were capped by the killing of a kidnapped teenager by these heartless blood thirsty kidnappers. She had been kidnapped alongside her siblings. Thankfully, it is now in the news that her remaining siblings has just been released after reportedly paying a ransom of N100m.
Alas, kidnapping for ransom has become pervasive throughout our country, affecting virtually every state and resulting in the death of numerous citizens across the country.
Too Many Kidnapping Incidents
Between the year 2011 and 2020, Nigerians paid at least $18.34 million (N7 billion) as ransom to kidnappers, a report on the country’s kidnap industry shows. The report from SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence published early in May 2020 captured the kidnap cases that occurred from June 2011 to the end of March 2020 using data collected from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, the Council for Foreign Relations’ Nigeria Security Tracker, newspaper reports including SBM Intel’s own countrywide network of researchers. It also contains the breakdown of names of victims, date, state and amount paid respectively. According to SBM, four of the top 10 states with a high number of kidnap incidents over the last decade are in the South-South geopolitical zone, with three of them being Bayelsa – 85, Delta -96 and Rivers – 120. Other states with high kidnap incidents include Kaduna – 177, Borno – 82, Kogi – 59, Edo – 55, Ondo – 54, Katsina – 52 and Taraba – 47.
The disease has now spread to Nigeria’s capital. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, a city that symbolizes the nation’s administrative hub, is grappling with a growing nightmare – the alarming surge in kidnapping cases.
Recently, the Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission FCT, Dalhatu Ezekiel Musa, raised a red flag over the escalating rate of kidnappings for ransom and other criminal activities in Abuja. The gravity of the situation becomes even more pronounced when considering that Abuja is home to the president, top officials, senators, and House of Representatives members. It is important to dissect the implications of the growing kidnapping menace in the FCT and offer viable solutions to curb this alarming trend.
According to Public Complaints Commissioner Musa, over 132 persons were kidnapped, and five lives were lost in less than three months between November 2023 and January 2024. These figures underscore the severity of the crisis and highlight the urgent need for comprehensive intervention.
While the police in the FCT have announced the arrest of a notorious kidnapper, Chinaza Philips, there remains a palpable sense of skepticism among Abuja residents. Many believe that the apprehension of a single individual is insufficient to address the larger systemic issues fueling the kidnapping epidemic.
Underreporting Of Menace
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command claims the report on the abduction of 200 residents was misleading, saying that the figures of kidnapped victims are exaggerated to cause fears among residents. FCT police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh said there were ‘pockets of abduction’ in Bwari and Kuje communities, saying that the figures were exaggerated. However, there are strong indications that kidnapping in the FCT is underreported. The underreporting of kidnapping incidents is a significant concern. Families, out of fear or distrust of law enforcement, hesitate to reveal kidnap ordeals and the huge ransoms paid to secure release of their loved ones. These underreporting obscures the magnitude of the crisis.
Abuja also houses the diplomatic corps, as such, these unabating kidnapping activities pose a direct threat to national security, given the potential targeting of influential figures and the symbolic nature of these attacks on the country’s capital.
The inability to check kidnapping erodes public confidence in the security apparatus. When citizens perceive a lack of safety in the capital, it reverberates throughout the entire nation, creating a sense of vulnerability, fear and a depressionary effect on economic activities.
Cost Of Kidnapping and Remedies
Kidnappings lead to economic disruption as businesses may hesitate to invest or operate in an environment characterized by insecurity. This can negatively impact the local economy as well as deter potential foreign investors. The pervasive fear of kidnappings contributes to social disintegration. Communities become divided, and individuals withdraw into their homes, thus hindering economic cohesion and cooperation.
The kidnapping menace tarnishes Nigeria’s international image as kidnapping has become a focal point in diplomatic discussions, potentially affecting relationships with other nations and deterring foreign visitors and their investments.
The impregnability of the capital is paramount for effective functioning of government and its institutions. A lingering kidnapping crisis may force government to divert resources from developmental projects to mainly security concerns thereby hindering many hitherto budgeted projects and services.
To tackle this kidnapping menace, there is an urgent need for not only enhanced security measures, but also for improved access to employment. Many kidnap victims report that their kidnappers tend to be unemployed youths.
Government should implement and reinforce robust security measures in the FCT. This includes increased police presence, intelligence gathering, and the deployment of modern surveillance technologies to monitor and respond to criminal activities. Thankfully, that is being mounted.
Another way of addressing the problem is through community engagement and intelligence sharing. Fostering community engagement helps to build trust between residents and law enforcement agencies. Government should encourage the public to share information anonymously, thus creating a collaborative environment that will effectively combat kidnapping.
Technology for intelligence and crime prevention should also be prioritized. This involves the use of surveillance cameras, biometric identification, and data analytics to track criminal activities and identify potential threats. Also important is investment in intelligence efforts to identify and disrupt underground networks involved in kidnapping. This includes proactive measures to dismantle ransom collection networks and apprehend kingpins.
Often times victims of kidnappings and their families are abandoned to their fate. There is virtually no victim support and rehabilitation programme in Abuja and indeed the whole country. Victims and their families are often left to deal with the trauma of kidnap without expert assistance from government agencies.
The FCT administration and indeed all the states and the federal government should consider the establishment of victim support and rehabilitation programmes to assist individuals who have experienced the trauma of kidnapping. This can help address the psychological impact of their ordeals.
The importance of legislative reform in this matter cannot be overemphasized. The FCT administration and state governments should consider legislative reforms that enhance penalties for kidnapping offences. Stricter laws can act as a deterrent while providing law enforcement with more effective tools in the combat against criminal activities.
Media sensitization is also important. All the stakeholders, the FCT administration, security agencies and non-governmental organisations should collaborate with the media to sensitize the public about the importance of sharing information with law enforcement.
The media could help dispel citizen mistrust of the police by fostering a sense of collective responsibility for community safety.
The kidnapping menace in the FCT poses a severe threat not only to the safety of Abuja residents but also to the nation’s international standing. Urgent and coordinated action is imperative to address the root causes, enhance security measures, and build public trust.
By implementing comprehensive solutions, Nigeria can reclaim the sanctity of its capital and demonstrate a commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens.
MAY NIGERIA REBOUND
