As the year grinds to a halt, Adesuwa Tsan writes on one of the biggest security challenges Nigerians had to contend with in 2020: Kidnapping.
An evolving threat
Abductions used to be alien to the average Nigerian, just as terrorism seemed to exist in places so far away that it was not imagined as what could happen in these parts.
But the reality is here. Kidnapping is now one of the major security challenges facing Nigerians.
In the past decade, it was regarded as a crime peculiar to certain parts of the country, particularly the Niger Delta region where militants used it as a tool of assertion and negotiation. Today, there is hardly any part of the country that is not faced with the threat of kidnapping, thereby making it one of the most pervasive organised crimes in Nigeria. The situation is so dire that anyone, anywhere, is a potential kidnap victim.
On one hand, kidnap victims are affluent and notable people, targeted for the value attached to their economic influence, but the evolving crime now encompasses the lower class of Nigerians. Cases abound of poor villagers abducted in big groups with a demand for ransom or for other purposes, such as recruitment into criminal groups, to serve as workers in their dens.
According to a new report from SBM Intelligence—an Africa-focused geopolitical research and strategic communications consulting firm— published on Weetracker.com, titled ‘’The Economics of The Kidnap Industry in Nigeria’’, these victims often struggle to pay ransoms quickly because of their relative poverty, and are much more likely to be killed by the actors in the event of failure.
Easy cash out, poor security apparatus sustaining kidnapping activities
In a country where unemployed youths are not productively engaged, it is not unusual that there has been an uptick in criminal activities. Northern Nigeria is credited for having the highest number of out-of-school-children and thus, it is not surprising that crime, manifesting in bandits’ attacks on villages, especially in Zamfara and Katsina States, and other northern parts of the country, have become almost a daily routine.
“As these kidnaps are less targeted at specific persons, the bandits are less deliberate in avoiding the death of their victims, compared to earlier attempts that appeared to have specific targets in mind,” the report said.
It cited an instance where, in January 2019, 16 villagers were abducted by armed bandits in Zurmi, a local government area in Zamfara State, and demanded N8.5 million for their release but the community was only able to pay N3 million.
A similar event occurred in Rivers State, which involved a ransom of N6 million for 4 public staff.
According to SBM, the total money spent on ransoms in the past 9 years is about N4 billion (USD 18.34M). It further said huge chunk of the figure, about USD 11M, was paid out between January 2016 and March 2020.
In all these, perpetrators of these acts were mostly not apprehended, even as families of security agents who were caught in the net of kidnappers also had to pay huge ransoms to secure their release.
15 kidnappings that made headlines in 2020
GSSS Kankara: The citizenry witnessed a series of high-profile kidnappings in the outgoing year. Top on the list is the kidnap of about 300 schoolboys from a boarding school, Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, on December 11, 2020, by a gang of gunmen on motorcycles.
The boys were later released on December 17, 2020. The Governor of the state, Aminu Masari, said the release was unconditional as no ransom was paid.
Philip Walton: An American hostage kidnapped in Niger and taken across the border into Nigeria was freed in a raid by US special force.
*Philip Wanton
11 ABU French Students: Eight students of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, were kidnapped along the Kaduna-Abuja road on November 15, 2020.
*ABU main gate
300 students from the Department of French were traveling to Lagos for a programme at the Nigerian French Language Village (NFLV), when some of them were kidnapped.
Kaduna Seminarians: 4 seminarians: Pius Kanwai, 19; Peter Umenukor, 23; Stephen Amos, 23 and 18-year-old Michael Nnadi, were taken on Wednesday, January 8, 2020, from the Good Shepherd Major Seminary in Kakau, Kaduna State.
*Kaduna Seminarians
Sadly, Micheal was murdered by the kidnappers, while the other three seminarians were released.
Taraba Lawmaker: Taraba State House of Assembly member, Bashir Bape, was abducted on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, at his residence in Jalingo. He was released 2 days later after a ransom was paid.
*Hon. Bape
Ondo Monarch: The traditional ruler of Ifon in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, Olufon of Ifon, Oba Israel Adeusi, was abducted on November 29, 2920, on his way back from a meeting with traditional rulers in the state. He was later found dead.
*The late Oba Adeusi
Kogi Monarch: The acting Eje of Ankpa, Ankpa Local Government Area, Kogi State, Alhaji Shaibu Usman was on Friday, December 18, 2020, kidnapped by gunmen who ambushed him while entering a mosque around 5.30 am.
Christian Obodo: Former Nigeria midfielder, Christian Obodo, was taken on December 13, 2020, but reportedly escaped from his abductors. The incident was later described by the Police as an attack and not an abduction.
District head of Daura Emirate: Alhaji Musa Uba, former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service and District Head of Daura President Buhari’s home town, was also kidnapped.
*Alhaji Uba
He is also an in-law to the president. He was kidnapped and held for sixty days until he was freed by a special police squad.
Agofure passengers kidnap: Unknown gunmen reportedly kidnapped passengers in a fully loaded transit bus belonging to the Agofure Transport Company and other private vehicles on Wednesday, October 8.
In the incident which occurred along the Ughelli–Warri road (East-West road), between Ekreravwen Junction and Urhobo House in Agbarho, occupants of a private Mercedes Benz car, a Keke (Tricycle) and its passengers, and occupants of a Toyota Sienna vehicle were also abducted.
Five Ghanaians in Niger Delta waters: On the 16th of November, five Ghanaians were abducted about 35 nautical miles from the Agbano Terminal of Niger Delta.
The attack was the 9th kidnapping incident of this kind over the past one month, reports stated, adding that since January, 22 incidents, in which 115 people were made hostages, were reported.
Delta Catholic priest: The clergy, Rev. Fr. Jude Onyebadi of Saints Peters & Paul, Issele Asagba, was abducted around Bishop’s Court in lselle Uku, Aniocha North Local Council of Delta State.
He was said to have been monitored and kidnapped in his farm, in late September.
Edo Commissioner: Edo State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Emmanuel Agbale, was kidnapped and his police orderly killed on the 17th of April. The incident occurred on his way from Benin to Ekpoma, by Oilpalm Estate, Benin-Auchi Road.
*Agbale
Rev. Father Matthew Dajo: The clergy of the St. Anthony Catholic Church, Yangoji village, Kwali Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, was abducted on Abuja on November 23. The kidnappers demanded a N100m ransom.
Wife of Chief of Staff to Governor of Ondo State: Wife of the Chief of Staff to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Mrs Olugbenga Ale, was abducted at Owena in Idanre Local Government Area of the state on November 26.
*Mrs Ale
A family source said she was returning from a Lagos business trip when she and two others were taken away.
Edo State Head of Service: Mr. Anthony Okungbowa was abducted along Oza Road in Orhionmwon Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
*Okungbowa
His driver was killed in the attack and his orderly died later from gunshots wound sustained from the attack. He was released after a ransom was paid.