Kidnapping in Nigeria

Kidnapping is a major problem in Nigeria in the early 21st century. Kidnapping by bandits and insurgents is among the biggest organised or gang crime in Nigeria and is a national security challenge.^[1]

History

Political Kidnappings

This refers to the political kidnapping which started in the petroleum industry in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region in the early 2000s:

In the Niger Delta, agitators took expatriates working with multinational oil giants hostage, to force oil companies operating there to carry out community development projects for the benefit of the host communities or force government into negotiations for more of economic benefits accruing to the federal treasury for the region.^[2]

Boko Haram Kidnappings

Kidnappings by jihadist terror group Boko Haram in Nigeria's northeast and northwest began in 2009 in concurrence with the conflicts in the region.^[3][4]

Abductions by Islamist terrorist Boko Haram^[5][6][7][8] are to further its agenda, recruit fighters, instil fear, gain more international popularity and force the government to negotiate with it for ransom which is one of the means of generating funds for its terrorist operation.^[9][10][11] Boko Haram have committed several mass kidnappings of students.^[12]

Their 2014 kidnapping of 276 teenage girls from a secondary school in Chibok, Borno State, was covered extensively by the international media, making millions of people aware of that specific crime and of the insurgency.^[12] Boko Haram often demand that victims' families or the government pay them ransoms, or that the government release prisoners from their group.^[12] Boko Haram has brainwashed and forced some of the young people it has kidnapped into joining them and carrying out attacks, including suicide bombings.^[12] Boko Haram force many young female victims to marry them.^[12]

Commercial Kidnappings

Kidnapping for ransom on a commercial scale became rampant in Nigeria in 2011 spread across all the 36 states and the country's capital, Abuja.^[13][14]

In February 2021, Nigerian journalist Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani wrote for the BBC News, "The Nigerian government seems to have suggested that it can no longer be relied on to keep citizens safe."^[15] In 2020, it was reported that in the span of the decade covering 2011-2020, kidnappers have gotten at least $18.5 million in ransom payments.^[16][17][18] In 2022, that figure stood at $1.12 million^[19][20] while $387,179 was paid in 2023.^[21][22]

Kidnapping Instances

North

Zamfara State

Zamfara, one of the security dark spots in Nigeria is caught between herder-farmers clashes and kidnapping and banditry.^[23][24] In June 2019 a household was attacked by bandits seizing the man alongside his three wives and a 13-year-old son.^[25] In August the Director of Budget for the state was kidnapped while his deputy he had been travelling with was killed in the attack.^[26][27][28]

In 2019 the governor of Zamfara, Bello Matawalle, initiated a peace and reconciliation plan to bring the bandits who attack and kidnap villagers back home offering them jobs in place of kidnapping and banditry. In August 2019 over 300 kidnapped victims who were held captive waiting for the payment of ransom on their heads by family members were freed.^[29][30] Days later another batch of 40 kidnap victims were freed.^[31]

Makurdi Kidnapping

On 24 April 2021, gunmen kidnapped students from the Federal University of Agriculture in Makurdi, in Benue State.^{[32][33][34][35]} According to eyewitnesses, three students were kidnapped,^[36][37][38] but two students were confirmed kidnapped later. This is Nigeria's fifth kidnapping from an academic institution in 2021. It came just four days after the Greenfield University kidnapping.^[39] On 28 April 2021, the university released a statement confirming the return of the abducted students.^[40] According to the university's spokesperson, the two students came back on 27 April 2021 unhurt.^[41]

South-East

Head of the Methodist church kidnapping

The head of the Methodist church in Nigeria, Samuel Kanu, was kidnapped on Sunday 26 May 2022.^[42] The kidnapping occurred along a highway in the southeastern state of Abia. He and a number of priests travelling to the Owerri airport after a church event were abducted after their vehicle's tyres were punctured by the assailants' bullets. Under threats of death by decapitation, the priests were coerced into paying an eventual ransom of a hundred million Naira. This was done via phone calls to heads and members of the church.^[43] The funds were intended for distribution among the members of the kidnapping group present, but most were to be sent to other senior members of the larger kidnapping network, as well as to their sponsors.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. "Violent kidnappings for ransom spread across Nigeria". TRT World. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
2. Ibaba, I. S. (2008-01-01). "Alienation and Militancy in the Niger Delta: Hostage Taking and the Dilemma of the Nigerian State". African Journal on Conflict Resolution. 8 (2): 11–34. doi:10.4314/ajcr.v8i2.39424. ISSN 1562-6997.
3. "Current Wave Of Kidnapping In Nigeria Is Different -Former US Ambassador To Nigeria". Sahara Reporters. 2019-07-13. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
4. "New Hostages Taken in Nigeria's Niger Delta". Voice of America. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
5. Maclean, Ruth; Abrak, Isaac (2018-03-21). "Boko Haram returns more than 100 schoolgirls kidnapped last month". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
6. Parkinson, Gbenga Akingbule and Joe (2018-02-22). "Boko Haram Kidnaps More Schoolgirls in Nigeria". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
7. "Boko Haram has just kidnapped dozens more schoolgirls". NBC News. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
8. "More than 1,000 children in northeastern Nigeria abducted by Boko Haram since 2013". www.unicef.org. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
9. "Buhari paid Boko Haram €3m for release of Chibok girls — Report". Punch Newspapers. 24 December 2017. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
10. "Lai Mohammed lied, Nigerian govt paid Boko Haram 'large ransom' to free #DapchiGirls - UN". 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
11. "'Boko Haram Members Earn $3,000 Daily But Nigerian Soldiers Get N1,000'". Sahara Reporters. 2019-04-29. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
12. Nigeria Chibok abductions: What we know
13. says, Jasper (2019-10-08). "Breaking: Gunmen in military uniform kidnap 9 persons in Abuja". P.M. News. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
14. Ogundipe, Samuel (2019-10-22). "Police parade 81 suspected kidnappers in Abuja". Retrieved 2020-01-31.
15. Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani (25 February 2021). "Viewpoint: Self-defence not the answer to Nigeria's kidnap crisis". BBC News. Retrieved 25 February 2021. Last week, the minister of defence had a message for communities that have suffered attacks by armed gangs: Defend yourselves, don't just sit and be slaughtered like chickens. "We shouldn't be cowards," said Bashir Salihi Magashi, a retired major general. "I don't know why people are running away... They should stand. Let these people know that even the villagers have the competence and capability to defend themselves."
16. "The economics of Nigeria's kidnap industry". Your Window Into West Africa. 2020-05-28. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
17. Awojulugbe, Oluseyi (28 May 2024). "'Nearly $11m paid as ransom in four years' — report examines Nigeria's kidnap industry".
18. Arise News (2020-06-03). Millions of Dollars Flow Through Nigeria's Kidnapping Industry -SBM Intelligence. Retrieved 2024-05-16 – via YouTube.
19. "The economics of Nigeria's kidnap industry, an update". Your Window Into West Africa. 2022-08-16. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
20. Ibeh, Ifeanyi (2022-08-30). "Kidnapping is Nigeria's fastest-growing industry - SBM Intelligence". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
21. "Report: 430 Civilians Killed, 3,620 Abducted, N5bn Demanded in 582 Crimes in One Year – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
22. Bailey, Bunmi (2023-08-22). "₦5bn ransom demanded for 3,620 kidnapped persons in 12 months – SBM". Businessday NG. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
23. "Blood-thirsty demons of Zamfara (II): Killing for fun, kidnapping for ransom". TheCable. 2019-04-10. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
24. "Gunmen kill 15, kidnap six women in Zamfara". Punch Newspapers. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
25. Nwannah, Ifeanyi (2019-06-21). "Zamfara: 1 killed as bandits kidnap district head, 7 others". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
26. "Kidnapped Zamfara director of budget released". Punch Newspapers. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
27. "Gunmen Kidnap Three Zamfara State Government Officials, Kill One In Kaduna". Sahara Reporters. 2019-07-17. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
28. "Top Zamfara official killed by kidnappers, another abducted". 2019-07-16. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
29. "StackPath". leadership.ng. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
30. "Over 200 kidnap victims freed in Zamfara - Police". 2019-07-22. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
31. "40 kidnap victims regain freedom in Zamfara". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
32. "Gunmen abduct Benue University students". The Guardian (Nigeria). 26 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
33. "Gunmen kidnap three university students in Benue". Premium Times. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
34. "Three Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi students kidnapped by gunmen". Vanguard NGR. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
35. "Violence Escalates Across Nigeria As Armed Bandits Kill 9 Police Officers in Kebbi State". Legit NG. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
36. "Benue university students abducted: FUAM kidnap update, Igbariam Anambra killings, Nigeria Army security meeting for Rivers". BBC News Pidgin. BBC. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
37. "JUST IN: Students kidnapped at Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi". PM News Nigeria. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
38. "Benue University Students Abducted On Campus". Daily Trust. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
39. "Gunmen Abduct Benue University Students". Channels TV. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
40. "Kidnapped FUAM Students Regain Freedom". tribuneonlineng.com. 2021-04-28. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
41. "Breaking: Kidnapped Benue Varsity Students Regain Freedom". leadership.ng. 2021-04-28. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
42. "Samuel Kanu: Kidnapped Nigerian Methodist Church leader freed". BBC News. 2022-05-30. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
43. Arise Exclusive: The Kidnappers Threatened to Kill Us as We Negotiated Ransom - Samuel Kanu-Uche, retrieved 2022-06-07