In this report, IFEDAYO OGUNYEMI takes a look at the increasing cases of kidnapping across the country and the trauma the despicable act leaves in its wake.
The growing concern among Nigerians nowadays is insecurity. For the past few weeks, the media have been awash with reports of abductions taking place across the country. But kidnapping is not a new trend in the most populous nation in Africa. Most notably in the past was the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok by Boko Haram which drew global condemnation in 2014.
Today, many people dread certain locations and highways in the country. Some of these hotspots include the Kaduna-Abuja highway, Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Ijebu Ode-Ibadan road, Ife-Ondo-Ekiti roads, as well as roads linking Ekiti with Kogi and some states, including Zamfara, Kaduna, and Niger states, where large-scale kidnappings were rife.
Sixty-two passengers out of 970 aboard a train were abducted in March 2022 when gunmen attacked the Kaduna-Abuja railway. In the process, 29-year-old University of Port Harcourt-trained dental surgeon, Chinelo Megafu, among others, were killed in the ill-fated Abuja-Kaduna train.
Reports available to Sunday Tribune indicated that kidnappers have made the Lagos-Ibadan and Ijebu Ode-Ibadan expressway as both their safe haven and hunting ground. Last December, two female victims, who were abducted and held at Iyana Gedu, Onigambari Village on the Ijebu Ode-Ibadan expressway, were released after the payment of N100,000 ransom after N20 million was initially demanded.
According to a source close to the victims, the ransom bearer identified members of the kidnapping gang as both from Yoruba and Hausa extraction. The kidnappers shot the driver of the two passengers in the arm following the inability of his family to put together a N100,000 ransom.
“Before they released their victims, they told them (victims and ransom bearer) that they had just started their kidnap operations as they would still unleash more terror within their areas of operation,” the source said.
Sunday Tribune also recalled that between 2021 and 2022, dare-devil kidnappers unleashed terror on unsuspecting motorists on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and Ibadan-Ijebu Ode- Ore- Benin expressway leading the concerned state governments to deploy security apparatus to the axis to reign in the occupation of kidnappers in the forests.
One of those kidnapped during the period was an Osun-based serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Yetunde, who was on her way to Lagos for the New Year festivities. Yetunde’s ordeal at the hands of the kidnappers is similar to the experience of many Nigerians who are falling victim to abductions across the country on a daily basis.
Despite a perceived drop in the number of abductions in certain parts of the country like the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and some other parts of the South-West, the number of reported kidnapping cases nationwide continued to increase, indicating that insecurity has continued to rear its head in the country.
A Dataphyte analysis of data obtained from SBM Intelligence revealed that 3,359 persons were abducted in the country between June 2021 and July 2022 while 3,620 persons were abducted between June 2022 and July 2023.
Another related analysis of data obtained by the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and National Security Tracker (NST) by The Cable also showed that 844 persons were kidnapped in the country in four months –January 1, 2023, and April 30, 2023.
In 2023, over 2,898 persons were reported to have been kidnapped nationwide, according to data obtained from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a United States-based disaggregated data collection, analysis, and crisis mapping project that uses real-time data and analysis sources on political violence and protests worldwide, which was analysed by Sunday Tribune.
In the Sunday Tribune analysis, the victims were abducted in 574 different political violent events that targeted civilians. In 17 different incidences, many and unspecified number of victims were abducted by the non-state actors, including bandits, militias, Boko Haram, Ansaru and ISWAP terrorists, who waylaid unsuspecting travellers on the road, invaded their towns, villages, estate, houses and places of business.
Further analysis by Sunday Tribune showed that a total of 752 persons were kidnapped in North-Central (FCT – 220; Kogi – 118; Niger – 191; Benue – 93; Nasarawa – 55; Kwara – 50 and Plateau – 25), 436 were kidnapped in North-East (Borno- 254; Taraba – 94; Bauchi – 79; Adamawa – 6 and Gombe – 3), while 1,223 were kidnapped in North-West (Zamfara – 564; Kaduna – 386; Katsina – 171; Sokoto – 73; Kebbi – 21; Kano – 5 and Jigawa – 3).
In the South-East, 162 persons were kidnapped (Imo – 66; Enugu – 36; Anambra – 33; Abia – 16 and Ebonyi – 11); In the South-South, 186 persons were kidnapped (Cross River – 62; Rivers – 52; Edo – 39; Delta – 25; Bayelsa – 5 and Akwa Ibom – 3) while in the South-West, 139 persons were kidnapped (Ondo – 61; Osun – 27; Ogun – 26; Lagos – 15; Ekiti – 8 and Oyo – 2).
The wide-scale abductions by non-state actors, which have majorly been recorded in states located in the Northern part of the country, have now spread to the Southern parts of the country and most notably, with the incidences recorded in the Federal Capital Territory (North-Central) region.
In another analysis, 146 people were abducted in the first two weeks of 2024 (ending January 12th) in the eight states where kidnappings have so far been reported and recorded. The affected states are Kaduna – 91, FCT – 33, Taraba – 10, Zamfara – 4, Rivers – 3, Niger – 3, Imo – 1 and Borno – 1).
While some of abductions recorded in the past took place on highways and expressways during which many of the victims were kidnapped on their way from one location to another, the new dimension to the tactics employed by the abductors includes targeting unsuspecting victims in their homes, estates and sometimes when leaving their places of business.
Irony of crime-free festivities
Imo State in South-Eastern Nigeria was celebrating a crime-free Christmas and New Year festivities in the state when four gunmen invaded the palace of the Eze of Orodo autonomous community in Mbaitoli LGA, Samuel Ohiri on Saturday, January 6, 2024.
According to an eyewitness account, Ohiri, a former chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, was abducted while with his brother, a United States businessman, Solomon. Another witness claimed that Solomon struggled and escaped from the kidnappers while the traditional ruler was whisked away.
“This Saturday morning, Ohiri and his brother from the United States, decided to drive out in their car in the spirit of the Christmas celebration to visit some of their friends. After their visit, they returned.
“As they arrived at Ohiri’s compound, they packed their vehicle at one side of the compound, and as they both were having the final discussion before they could say bye to each other. A highlander vehicle filled with gunmen double-crossed them and shot sporadically. They dragged both of them into the vehicle and drove away. They drove toward the Njaba to Orlu road.”
Luckily, after spending about 13 days in captivity, security agencies successfully rescued the traditional ruler unhurt from an undisclosed forest.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, SP Henry Okoye, on Thursday, January 18, the state commissioner of police, Danjuma Aboki revealed that Eze Ohiri was rescued “after a hot chase on his kidnappers in the forest by operatives of the Command’s Anti-kidnapping unit.”
While luck was in favour of the Ohiri’s, many other Nigerians who have experienced the pangs of notorious kidnappers were not so lucky. Many of the victims are still in captivity while others have been killed.
Vanguard in its Thursday, January 11, 2023, edition reported that about 45 passengers in three fully loaded 15-seater commercial buses were abducted by armed men in Orokam, along the Otukpo-Enugu Road in Ogbadigbo Local Government Area, Benue State at about 3:30 p.m.
A driver of one of the commercial transportation companies in Makurdi, who narrowly escaped the ambush with his passengers, told newsmen “it was easy for the armed men to stop the vehicles because that portion of the road is very bad.”
It was gathered that the abductors initially demanded N15 million ransom, but have now settled for N3 million for each passenger.
Reign of terror in Abuja
In another instance in Abuja, 23 people, including four children, a local chief, Sarkin Pawan Kawu and his family members and a former PDP chairman in the area, were reportedly abducted by kidnappers from Kuyeri Forest who went from house to house in Kawu, Bwari area of the FCT on January 11, 2024. While one of them was killed, seven others were released to source for ransom of the rest left in captivity.
A relative of one of the victims, Ibrahim Tanimu Kawu, told newsmen that four of the victims were released on Friday evening in a forest that bordered the FCT and Kaduna State.
“Today at about 7 a.m., the kidnappers’ leader called through the telephone, and we heard how the children were crying as they were beating them. What is more disturbing is that two of the children are between the ages of 13 and 12, but the families are confused on how to raise the N20m as there is no property to sell, and even on the farmlands, nobody is coming to price them,” he said.
In another incident at least 12 persons, including wife and four children of Ekiti State-born Chief Legal Officer of the National University Commission (NUC), Mr Oladosu Ariyo, as well as 400 level student of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Nabeeeha Al-kadriyar, her father and five female siblings were abducted in their homes. The Ariyo’s were kidnapped on January 7 while the Al-kadriyar’s were kidnapped on Tuesday, January 9, 2024.
To press demands for ransom, the kidnappers killed Ariyo’s 13-year-old daughter Folorunsho, Nabeeha, and two other persons. Their remains were dumped around a former military checkpoint behind Idah Junction on the Bwari-Jere SCC Road in Kagarko LGA of Kaduna State. The teenage girl was laid to rest on Sunday, January 14, 2024, in Dutse Cemetery, Abuja.
In a save our soul message, Mr Ariyo called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to help save his wife and remaining three children from the kidnappers’ den, adding that save for a quick intervention, the kidnappers would kill the rest of his family.
“Most respectfully, I’m Oladosu Folorunso Ariyo, a lawyer working in Abuja. On Sunday evening the 7th of January 2024, around 7:30 pm, a band of kidnappers dressed in full military camouflage invaded my home located at Sagwari Layout Estate in Dutse, Abuja.
“They kidnapped my wife (who is also a lawyer) and our four children. The kidnappers called and demanded for 60 million ransom out of which through generous donation of friends and family, I’ve been able to raise the sum of N7 million naira which they have vehemently refused to collect.
“As of today, they’ve killed my first born –Michelle Ariyo (age 13) and dumped her corpse on Kaduna Road while threatening to kill my three remaining children (who are all minors) and wife who are still in captivity,” he said in the message.
On the other hand, five of Nabeeha’s siblings are still in the custody of the kidnappers after their father, Mr Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, was released two days after the abduction to source the N60 million ransom initially demanded.
A source who gave an account of the incident, explained: “On Tuesday 2nd of January around 9:00 pm kidnappers struck and took away a father and her six children (all girls) at Zuma 1 after Bwari FCT before Veritas University.
“The younger brother that was contacted on a distressed call died during the attack. The father was released 48 hours to bring N60m ransom.
“We were contacted last night Friday 12th January around 7 p.m. to bring the money and later called around 10:30 p.m. the same night telling us they have killed one of the girls and even described the location for us to pick the corpse.
“While we were at the point of picking up the corpse, they called again, raising the ransom to N100 million, insisting that any attempt in delaying the payment will be met with equal treatment. These are the phone numbers being used by the abductors: 07016250005 0912 391 5983.”
The Al-Kadriyar family’s abduction went viral on X (formerly Twitter) when some users planned to crowdsource for the ransom demanded by the abductors. The call for support attracted the attention of many including a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Ali Pantami, who announced that he had mobilised a balance of N50 million ransom from a friend for the release of the Al-Kadriyar family.
“I am personally not in support of paying ransom to criminals. However, since it became clear, we lost our daughter Nabeeha yesterday, and the five remaining daughters have been threatened, as I spoke with the father on the matter yesterday and today.
“Furthermore, I spoke with a friend and a brother who offered to pay the remaining N50 million of the N60m immediately. I conveyed the account number of the father of our daughters, Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, to the friend and brother to send the money directly. Any additional amount earlier generated from yesterday, the father can use to treat the daughters and other family members in sha Allah,” the former minister said in a tweet.
Police arrest notorious Abuja kidnapper
Meanwhile, in response to the gale of kidnappings and the perceived inaction of the government and security agencies in rescuing their people, residents of Sagwari Layout muted a massive protest. However, the protest was postponed because it coincided with the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day which was celebrated last Monday.
As Sunday Tribune was compiling this report, policemen in Kaduna State rescued a kidnap victim, Segun Akinyemi, who was abducted at his residence at FCDA Quarters, Garki, Abuja on January 17, 2024 and was being taken to Kano by his captors.
The command spokesman, ASP Mansir Hassan, said operatives of the Kawo Police Divisional Headquarters blocked a grey Toyota Hilux van with registration number Abuja, RBC 90 DC with four passengers. Immediately, a gun duel ensued.
Following a gun duel, one of the kidnappers, Chinaza Philip of Life Camp Abuja was arrested while three other gang members –Chidibere Nwodibo also of Life Camp Abuja, Auwal and the gang leader whose identity is yet to be ascertained– escaped.
The police also said that some exhibits including two retay G17 model pistol, one beretta pistol, ten 9mm P.A.K ammunitions and five 9mm special ammunitions were recovered from the kidnappers.
In another release on Friday, January 19, 2024, the FCT command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, disclosed that Chinaza Philip had been handed over to the command.
Invasion of Army estate
While the public and residents were breathing a sigh of relief following the Chinaza’s arrest, news filtered in that another set of unidentified gunmen invaded the Nigeria Post Army estate in Kurudu, Abuja on Thursday night and kidnapped the wife and mother-in-law of another lawyer, Cyril Adikwu, who lives in the estate.
The kidnappers, who arrived at the Phase II area of the estate around 10 p.m., warded off a range of shooting from soldiers living in the estate, before whisking the victims away. The estate is located 25 kilometres away from the city centre.
“We suddenly started hearing gunshots, and immediately we knew something was wrong. I quickly went out to make sure my gate was well locked.
Then we heard the gunshot in the barrister’s house, and then we alerted the estate’s management, who immediately swung into action. In a short time, army people came around and started shooting too, but before they came, the kidnappers had taken the wife and one of the in-laws of the barrister.
“This is really traumatising because we could not sleep throughout the night due to fear of the kidnappers coming back,” said one of the inhabitants of the estate, Austine John.
The scale of kidnappings in the country has attracted widespread outcry with many on social media debating the lack of political will and the capability of security agencies to tame the developments.
Explaining the conundrum that kidnapping for ransom has taken in the country, a former senator who represented Kaduna Central at the National Assembly, Shehu Sani, said: “If ransom is not paid to kidnappers, the lives of the hostages are at risk. If ransom is paid to kidnappers, it encourages other kidnappers to abduct more and makes the business of kidnapping more lucrative. Families of the victims of kidnappings will do anything to get their loved ones released in the event of the helplessness and hopelessness of the security agencies.”
He noted that kidnapping for ransom is not rife in Benin Republic, Niger, Chad and Cameroon, unlike in Nigeria, because “their security agencies are more serious and professional in the execution of their duties.”
Declare emergency on kidnapping —Amnesty International
In its reaction to the widespread incidences of kidnappings, Amnesty International, in a statement addressed by its Nigeria country director, Isa Sanusi, urged President Bola Tinubu to declare an emergency on kidnapping, adding that the country must take all lawful measures to end the cycle of violence and fear that Nigerians live in today.
“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.
“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.
“The number of people in custody of armed groups and kidnappers is unknown. But the victims usually suffer shocking abuses. Several women and girls, including school children, have been viciously raped while in captivity. Those kidnapped are routinely tortured. Many are beaten, starved, threatened with death, raped, held blindfolded for several days, verbally and physically assaulted.
“The Nigerian authorities are yet to show any tangible commitment to addressing the escalating breakdown of security across the country. Whatever security measures being currently implemented are clearly not working, as people in Nigeria feel more unsafe.
“Security of all people should be the priority of the government. People should not be left helplessly at the mercy of ruthless gunmen. Failure to address the security concerns urgently will grossly enable human rights abuses,” Sanusi said.
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