28022021

By Charles Kumolu, Deputy Editor
O fewer than 720 persons have been
Nkidnapped across Nigeria since the
beginning of 2021, research commissioned
by Sunday Vanguard revealed.
The findings, which covered Nigeria's six
geopolitical zones, South-West, South -East,
South-South, North-Central, North-East
and North-West including Federal Capital
Territory, FCT, Abuja, represent the
reported cases.
Of the zones, North-West led with more
than 400 cases while North-Central had
250. This was followed by the North-East,
FCT, South-West, South-South, and South-
East. The South-East had the least reported
cases.
The total figure represents the confirmed
cases by the Police and eye witnesses'
accounts, which were eventually reported
by the media.
Sunday Vanguard learned that other
unreported incidents may have taken place,
especially in Niger, Zamfara, Sokoto, and
Katsina states. Thus, the sum total may well
be above 720 if the cases were all captured.
Pattern
The pattern of abduction remained the
same in the North, where victims were
often kidnapped en mass during attacks
on remote villages and schools.
Mass abduction of travellers on the
highways emerged as the latest model of
operation by gunmen who have become
more daring.
This is not prevalent in the North alone
as highways in the South-West and
South-South have become hot spots.
Those identified include Benin-Ore
Highway, Benin-Auchi-Okene Highway,
Keffi-Akwanga Highway, Akure-Owo
Expressway, Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja Road,
Zaria-Sokoto-Gusau, Bauchi-Tafawa-
Balewa Highway, Wukari-Takum Road,
and Minna -Kotongora Road among
others.
In the South-West where herdsmen
have been accused of most of the incidents,
abductees were often abducted on the
highways and forests while a few cases
took place at victims' farms.
The varying modus operandi in North
and South was further highlighted in a
2020 SBM report.
Approach
The finding stated thus: "It would
appear that in the south, while
kidnapping may be frequent, the selection
of victims is more targeted and the
kidnappers see it more like a business
transaction, trying hard to extract
money from their criminal activities.
This targeted approach makes their
victims less expendable as they are
usually fewer in number at a time. In
the North, the modus operandi is more
likely that a larger number of people are
simply rounded up and then ransoms
demanded en masse. Because of this
approach, victims that are unable to pay
up as quickly as expected are more likely
to be killed by the kidnappers."
Official statistics of incidents within the
time under review could not be obtained
as Sunday Vanguard gathered that the
data is often released quarterly by the
Police.
Meanwhile, last Friday's abduction of
Government Science College, Jangebe,
Talata Mafara, Zamfara State,
schoolgirls underscored how established
kidnap for ransom has become in Nigeria.
In its familiar tone, the Police in a
statement by Force Public Relations
Officer, Frank Mba, condemned the
incident, promising to rescue the girls.
"The IGP, while condemning the
barbaric and callous abduction of the
innocent female students, has assured
that the Police and other security forces
will not relent until the abducted students
are successfully rescued and reunited
with their families. The joint rescue
operation is being carried out by the
Police, the Military and other members
of the law enforcement community with
support from the State Government and
other stakeholders, "the Police said.
Clear strategy
Sunday Vanguard notes that after each
mass abduction state and federal
governments condemn the attack in
strong terms, with promises to rescue
abductees. But if the revelations of
released victims were anything to go by,
governments’ usual claims of not paying
ransom are false.
Without any clear strategy for arresting
the scourge, which has spread to every
part of the country, authorities and
individuals pay huge sums to
kidnappers.
For instance, the SBM said Nigeria paid
$18.3 million, N7 billion, between June
2011 and March 2020.
"SBM Intelligence analysed data
covering the period from June 2011 to
the end of March 2020 using a collection
of public sources, police and media
reports, as well as SBM’s extensive
research network spread across the
country. What we have found shows that
between June 2011 and the end of March
2020, at least $18.34 million has been
RAGE OF KIDNAPPERS:
paid to kidnappers as ransom. Even more
frightening is that the larger proportion of
that figure (just below $11 million), was paid
out between January 2016 and March
2020, indicating that kidnapping is
becoming more lucrative, "the report
added.
N3 billion, ransom
Last year, a committee set up by
Governor Bello Matawalle to find
solutions to banditry in Zamfara State,
disclosed that over N3 billion
was collected by bandits as
ransom from relations of
abducted victims in the state.
Chairman of the
committee, Mohammed
Abubakar, made the
disclosure while presenting
the committee’s report to
the governor.
He said the report covered
the period from June 2011
to May 29, 2019.
Abubakar said the money
was collected from 3,672
victims whose relatives
paid to secure their freedom.
The former Inspector
General of Police ,IGP, said a
total of 4,983 women were
widowed, 25,050 children
orphaned and 190,340
persons displaced by
banditry over the period in
the state.
In a related development, Dan-Aji
community of Faskari LGA of Katsina
State, where bandits abducted 26 girls,
countered the claim by the Zamfara State
government that no ransom was paid to
secure their release from captivity.
The community said N6.6m ransom was
paid for the release of the girls.
Captives
Sunday Vanguard also learned that
some abductors now sell their victims to
another set of people who are big in the
business. The new buyers in turn place huge
ransom on the captives.
According to a victim who resides in
Sokoto, the pattern seems to be the trend
among kidnappers at Abaji, Lokoja, and
Okene axis of Kogi State.
“Apart from Shika and Giwa axis on
Zaria-Gusau-Sokoto Road, another
dangerous place is Abaji area close to
Okene. The kidnappers in that area are
not herdsmen. They kidnap travellers
and sell to herdsmen who now negotiate
with victims’ relatives,” the victim who
pleaded anonymity said.
The kidnapped Public
Relations Officer of Edo
State Command of
Nigerian Immigration
Service, Mrs. Bridget Esene,
even alluded to this while
narrating her ordeal.
“I was later sold to
another set of gunmen
who then took me deep
into the forest,” she added.
The timeline below
shows how threatening
kidnapping has become to
Nigerians.
JANUARY 4:
Kidnappers abducted a
Senior Protection Assistant
with the United Nations
High Commission for
Refugees, UNHCR,
Abubakar Idris, popularly
known as Alooma, along Damaturu Road,
Borno State.
On the same day, gunmen kidnapped a
medical doctor, Akindele Kayode, from a
Health Care Centre at Tapa in Ibarapa
North Local Government Area, LGA, Oyo
State.
January 5:
In Niger State, residents of Yakila
community in Rafi LGA were attacked
by bandits, who kidnapped the village
head, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdul –amid, a
nurse and her two kids.
No fewer than 40 persons were
kidnapped in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna
SUNDAY VANGUARD, FEBRUARY 28, 2021,PAGE 7
720 kidnapped in two
months, N10bn ransom paid
•Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger worst hit
•S/East, S/South record least cases
•Benin-Auchi, Zaria-Sokoto-Gusau, Benin-Ore,
Keffi-Akwanga roads emerge hotspots
•VICTIM: Captors now sell abductees
Mass abduction
of travellers on
the highways
emerged as the
latest model of
operation by
gunmen who
have become
more daring
State. Birnin Gwari Progressive Union said
the victims were in kidnappers’ den in Niger
State.
Gunmen killed one person and abducted
over 20 others along Mungi Buga in
Gwari Gadabule village in Toto LGA,
Nasarawa State.
A traveller was abducted while his
driver was killed along Ise Isua -Akoko
Highway, Ondo State. The Police said the
body of the driver was recovered and
deposited at the mortuary in Ikare.
January 6:
A fashion designer’s apprentice in Ondo
town, Ondo State, Temitope Adeniyi,
kidnapped his lover’s three months –oldbaby
girl.
January 5:
Zamfara State Police Command said
kidnappers struck at Kaduari village in
Maru LGA and kidnapped six children of
one Alhaji Sabi Gyare.
January 12:
A lecturer with Ken Saro Wiwa
Polytechnic in Bori LGA of Rivers State,
simply identified as Mr. James, was
abducted by gunmen at his residence in
Ugwurutali, Ikwere LGA of the state.
January 13:
Gunmen kidnapped four nursing
mothers alongside 14 others in Mando
village, Birnin Gwari LGA, Kaduna State.
Chairman of Birnin Gwari Emirate
Progressive Union, BEPE, Salisu Haruna,
in a statement said the adductors invaded
the area with AK47 rifles, raided a
number of houses.
January 14:
An Ekiti-based petrol dealer, Suleiman
Akinbami, was kidnapped and his
abductors demanded N60million
ransom.
January 15:
A kidnap attempt claimed the lives of
Alhaji Yinusa Gambo and Mallam Surajo
at Chikaji village, Igabi LGA, Kaduna
State. The state Commissioner for
Internal Security and Home Affairs,
Samuel Aruan, said the duo lost their lives
when they tried to escape from bandits
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