Despite the continuous military onslaught, Nigeria’s North West, North Central and North East regions are still faced with waves of kidnappings, primarily perpetrated by bandits and other armed groups, creating a climate of fear among the residents.
Consequently, many unfortunate families have had to retrieve the corpses of their loved ones from the bush.
These incidents reflect a broader security crisis in the North, exacerbated by socio-economic challenges despite law enforcement agencies’ intense efforts to maintain peace, law, and order in the region.
The government’s effort to combat the spate of kidnappings is receiving commendation, especially with this set of service chiefs, but some villagers still feel unsafe and unprotected in their communities.
The pockets of kidnappings have continued to disrupt lives and livelihoods, hinder educational opportunities, and displace families, leaving deep scars on the affected persons and regions.
For instance, despite all the efforts of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr Nyesom Wike, to address the challenges posed by kidnapping in the nation’s capital, abductors are still operating in the suburbs, with the most dangerous zone being the fringes of Abuja/Kaduna forest.
In an interaction with LEADERSHIP Friday, one of the victims rescued by the police in a sting operation, Jessica Obadiah, 27, said she was forced by the kidnappers to carry the corpse of her aunt, Rachael Hassan, 43, in the forest for hours after the kidnappers killed her for delayed payment of ransom.
While collaborating the story, Jessica’s father (simply identified as Mr Obadiah for security reasons), who narrated his ordeal trying to raise money to pay for his cousin, Rachael and his daughter, Jessica, said the kidnappers took the victims deep into Kachia forest in Kaduna and “called me to pay a ransom of N80 million.
“While discussion was ongoing, the kidnappers felt that I was delaying and killed my cousin and made my daughter carry her into the deeper part of the forest.
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“I was able to raise N8.2 million and sent my brother to drop the ransom. Unfortunately, he was taken, and the kidnappers released my daughter. I was made to pay another N5 million, making it a total of N13.2 million before my brother was released.”
He lamented that till now, he had not been able to recover the corpse of his cousin.
Another victim, simply identified as Chinenye, said her brother, 29, was abducted at the Bwari axis for over six months now and is yet to be returned or rescued.
According to her, the kidnappers never called for ransom.
She stated that when she heard that the police rescued some persons from the forests around Bwari, she rushed with hope, “only to be told by the boy they kidnapped along with him that my brother had been killed in the forest.
“I just want to see him dead or alive. I am still hoping that one day, he will come out because we don’t have anybody to comfort us,” he said.
Meanwhile, the FCT commissioner of police (Disu) has disclosed that the police had arrested some of the kidnap kingpins terrorising the nation’s capital and its environs.
According to him, acting in pursuance to the FCT command’s zero tolerance to all forms of crimes, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the FCT Police Command raided kidnappers’ dens in Kweri Forest in Kaduna State and Gauraka Forest in Niger State, during which it arrested some suspects.
He named the suspects as Abdulrahman Giwa, Baba Hassan, Mohammed Dahiru, Abubakar Bature, alias Dayi, Abubakar Kadiri, alias Dare, and Kabiru Ibrahim.
One of the police operatives (name withheld) who participated in the operation said about 11 shallow graves were discovered in the forest where the suspects were arrested.
He said the police believed that they were the graves of those whose families could not pay the ransom on time.
The commissioner said all suspects are members of a kidnapping/banditry gang led by one Mallam (surname unknown) now deceased and that they are responsible for various armed robbery/kidnapping attacks on Dei-dei, Bwari. Dawaki, Daupe, Kau and Sunape communities in the FCT.
He explained that Giwa, 25, from Karuwan Majin village in Kaduna State, was arrested in the gang’s hideout at Kweri forest in the state.
According to him, Giwa was involved in an attack on Jibi village in Niger State on July 21, 2024, where a number of victims were kidnapped and ransom was collected.
Giwa was also allegedly involved in an attack on the Bwari Community, where Ahmed Enahoro, 52, Faith Enahoro, 18, and Ahmed Mahmoud, 41, were kidnapped, and ransom was paid.
He and his gang were also said to have been involved in Daupe Village, Niger State attack on July 1, 2024, where Santyo Comfort, 55, Happiness Santyo, 16, Felix Santyo, 14, and Julius Oyanga were kidnapped, and N80 million was paid as ransom.
The police said one of his victims, Comfort Oyanga, was killed in cold blood in front of her children.
The gang also participated in the kidnapping of over 20 persons in Dawaki on May 19, 2024, the police said.
Meanwhile, kidnapping by bandits and terrorists in the North West region needs more efforts to stem the tide.
Military efforts to contain their activities are yet to achieve the desired results; there are still cases of kidnapping and attacks, with the latest incidences coming from Sokoto and Zamfara states.
It was gathered that Katsina State is not also spared of kidnapping activities.
The residents say kidnapping cases in Kaduna State have reduced but pockets of unreported incidents are still on in some communities, Birnin Gwari local government regarded as the headquarters of abduction in the state.
The residents say security agencies need to intensify efforts at engaging the bandits and terrorists head-on to give renewed hope to them.
Only recently, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Christopher Musa, while in Kaduna during a combined meeting of northern governors and traditional rulers, disclosed that the armed forces were working tirelessly to stem insecurity in the northern region and other parts of the country.
General Musa commended the northern governors and traditional rulers for their support and cooperation in tackling the security challenges.
Fielding questions from newsmen after addressing the joint meeting, the CDS said the Armed Forces are working proactively to end insecurity.
“We are doing our best to end insecurity, we are not where we want to be but gradually we will get there,” he said.
Based on the security report gathered from the North East, the most terrifying routes where kidnapping and abduction take place are in Borno and Yobe states due to the activities of Boko Haram terrorists.
Even though terrorist abductions on the Maiduguri-Damaturu Highway have decreased recently due to the efforts of the state government, the Nigerian military, and other security agencies, the Biu-Buni—Yadi-Damaturu Road has become a nightmare for motorists and travellers in recent times.
High profile abductions included that of a Maiduguri High Court judge, and his wife, who is a senior magistrate and their driver. Their security aide was killed on the spot, before others were taken away.
In other areas of Borno State, the abduction by terrorists have drastically reduced except for a few cases in the route connecting Bama and Gwoza as well as the periodic kidnapping of farmers in Gwoza.
In Taraba State, the major areas that used to experience banditry and kidnapping have witnessed a drastic decrease in criminal activity.
Local government areas of the state such as Yoro, Lau, Karim-Lamido, Jalingo, Takum and Lau have for the past four months witnessed relative peace.
Kidnapping cases have drastically decreased in Adamawa, Bauchi, and Gombe states due to the gallant efforts of the state governments and security agencies.
