Unencumbered by meaningful deterrence, and hugely rewarded for kidnap and killing of the rich and the poor, kidnappers and bandits have continued to rule both the governed and the ungoverned spaces in Nigeria. When will the country’s political leadership rise to the occasion, end its squeamish rhetoric and put this scourge to the sword? Louis Achi asks
The extremely brutal kidnappers and bandits ravaging Nigeria are clearly oxygenated by enormous monetary gains, the apparent inability or collusion of the nation’s constitutionally flawed security architecture and the corrupt justice system. Even the emergence of a new administration has apparently provoked a statistical up scaling of the enervating malaise.
And worse, these agents of death and desolation have turned their brisk trade to the nation’s capital, Abuja – sending a powerful message of crass defiance to both the security agencies and their Commander-in-Chief.
A particular incident was the kidnap of Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, her siblings and father. The incident captured the attention and rage of widespread Nigerians almost more than previous similar incidents.
On the evening of January 2, Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, her five sisters and their father were abducted by kidnappers from their residence in Sagwari Estate Layout at Dutse in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). But she (Naheeba) was unfortunately killed penultimate Saturday by the kidnappers who reportedly demanded the sum of N60 million ransom for their release.
Witnesses say Nabeeha’s uncle ran to find help but was ambushed and killed, as were three police officers. It is not known why the family was targeted.
The kidnappers demanded to be paid a huge sum of cash by 12 January, and when they did not get it they killed Nabeeha as a warning, according to a member of the family who spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity.
Nabeeha’s kidnappers handed over her body and, in accordance with Islamic rites, she was swiftly buried by her family penultimate Saturday.
From information gathered, after the killing the bandits increased their demand from the initial N60 million per person to N100 million, totaling N700 million.
To drive home their seriousness, the kidnappers allegedly killed more abductees, including a 13-year-old secondary school student, identified as Folorunsho Ariyo, over the delay in paying the ransom.
Speaking on Monday, the First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu demanded that security agencies must “intensify their efforts” to end Nigeria’s security crisis. She insisted on a “swift return of the Al-Kadriyar sisters”.
On his part, a former Minister of Communicatons and Digital Economy, Prof. Ali Pantami, last Sunday, announced that he mobilised a balance of N50 million ransom for the Al-Kadriyar family to enable them to secure the release of their remaining five daughters from the kidnappers following the murder of Nabeeha.
Meanwhile, residents of Sagwari Layout have perfected plans to stage a massive protest against the perceived inaction of the government and security agencies in rescuing their people.
Hundreds of Nigerians have been kidnapped for ransom in recent years, largely by criminal gangs who see it as an easy way to make money. Close to 20 people were abducted in in the first week of 2024 alone.
No matter how desperate the circumstance, Nigerian law prohibits the payment of ransom money. However, many victims pay up because they do not trust authorities or their track record.
While the Nigeria security agencies have repeatedly discouraged payment of ransom to kidnappers, the Nigerian Senate had in 2022 passed a bill imposing jail terms of at least 15 years for paying a ransom to free someone who has been kidnapped. The bill also made the crime of abduction punishable by death in cases where victims die.
According to AIG Wilson Inalegwu (rtd), also a former Commissioner of Police in charge of the FCT, “the aim of the perpetrators of these criminalities is to make the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu fail in his Renewed Hope Agenda. So, stopping the criminals is key to the economic, political and social goals of the government and the good people of FCT and Nigeria.
“Most of those incidents occur in the outlying areas of the territory, including Bwari Area council, Gwagwalada, Kwali and Abaji councils’ axis. The Rubochi part of Abaji area council is also noted for incidents of kidnappings. “Ordinarily the FCT being the seat of government should be a place considered safe where Nigerians and visitors alike can visit and transact business without let or hindrance.
“On the other hand, if the FCT is seen as unsafe and a haven for kidnappers where violent criminals hold sway, foreigners could be discouraged from direct investment (FDI) so much clamored for by the federal government.”
He added that, “the situation demands urgent action by all and sundry, especially the FCT Administration, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF-FCT) and other relevant security agencies as well the FCT community.
“The security services especially the police that have primacy on internal security working in close collaboration and coordination are supposed to reduce prevent or mitigate crime. But in reality, do they have such collaboration to make this happen?” he queried.
“The sophisticated state of technology, which should be force multipliers is lacking, especially the absence of Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras at critical parts of the FTC. “The inadequate staff strength coupled with the absence of logistic support, including vehicles, walkie-talkies constitute huge challenges to FCT Command. On its part, there are many police divisions, but most of them are incapable of dealing with crimes due to inadequate manpower.”
Switching to the FCT Minister who’s now constantly away to Rivers State to confront perceived challenges on that front, AIG Inalegwu prescribes that, “the FCT minister should set up a robust Security Department for the coordination of security activities in the FCT, including the appointment of security coordinators for each Area Council as subordinate to the Special Adviser Security (SA Security).
“The Coordinators will serve as Secretaries to the various Area Council Security Committees and are to report on all matters of security to the Hon Minister through the SA Security. Coordinate layers could be appointed and used as informants.”
Recently, the Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. John Joseph Hayab, revealed that a ransom of over N250 million was paid to secure the release of 121 students of Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna who were kidnapped by bandits in July 2022.
Bandits had stormed the school owned by the Nigeria Baptist Convention (NBC) in Damishi, Kaduna and abducted 121 students.
On its part, Amnesty International has stated that Nigeria’s authorities must treat epidemic of kidnapping as an emergency. In the body’s words: “President Bola Tinubu must treat the rampant kidnapping that has become part of daily life in Nigeria as an emergency by taking all lawful measures to end the cycle of violence and fear people in Nigeria are living under today, AI said.
“We are now facing an epidemic of kidnapping. People in Nigeria are now living on the knife edge. Widespread insecurity and the chaos it causes have been exacerbated by routine kidnapping, as armed groups tighten their stranglehold on the country. Nigerian authorities must immediately stem the tide of kidnapping now,” said Isa Sanusi Director, Amnesty International Nigeria.
“Many families choose not to report cases of kidnapping after paying ransom for fear of reprisals and as a result, many incidents go undocumented. The current epidemic of kidnapping highlights the utter failure of the Nigerian authorities to effectively protect lives,” said Isa Sanusi.
The seeming inability of the Nigerian state to serve its true purpose which is to ensure “the security and welfare of the people” is increasing pushing citizens to demand owning their own guns for self-defense purposes.
It cannot be easily forgotten that as recently as 2018, a member of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Kabir Marafa (Zamfara Central) while contributing to a debate on insecurity in the country, told his colleagues that “… people cannot be slaughtered in their houses helplessly. Maybe what we need to do is to liberalise gun control. Let everybody own a gun so that when you are coming to my house, you will know that I have my own gun.”
At press time, there has been a flurry of different security meetings with security chiefs at the instance of President Tinubu and FCT minister, Wike. Both have vowed to flush out criminals and kidnappers from Nigeria and the Abuja, respectively. But then, these look sickeningly familiar stunts.
Nigerians and FCT residents await tangible results. Kidnappers and bandits must not rule.
