Abduction epidemic spreads nationwide

•Kidnappers move from expressways to Lagos, Ogun, Abuja city centres

•Abductors kill two young victims, demand N700m ransom for nine others

The scourge of abductions which has strangulated social and economic activities in the North-West has spread nationwide as bandits and other criminal elements have moved their operations into the major cities across the country.

The hoodlums, who hitherto operated on highways and in rural communities, have in recent times escalated their attacks on residents of Lagos, Abuja, and other urban centres.

The killing of four abducted victims from the Sagwari Estate Layout in Dutsen-Alhaji area, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, ignited a groundswell of anger on Monday, as the bandits who kidnapped seven family members demanded N700m for their release.

The hoodlums had Friday killed Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, a 400-level student of Biological Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, over alleged delay in providing the ransom, generating a firestorm of anger across the country and on social media.

As of Monday night, the remaining five sisters, including Najeebah, a 500-level Quantity Surveying student, and Nadherah, a 300-level Zoology student, are still in captivity.

The siblings were kidnapped alongside their father, Alhaji Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, from their home at Zuma 1, on the outskirts of Bwari town in Abuja on January 11.

The captors had released Al-Kadriyar, asking him to pay N60m ransom for the release of his daughters.

It was learnt that the bandits later raised the ransom to N100m for each captive which they insisted must be paid by Wednesday.

However, in a bid to secure the release of the hostages, the Al-Kadriyar family sought financial support from Nigerians.

The bandits also murdered in cold blood 13-year-old Folashade Ariyo abducted alongside her mother and three siblings.

Two unidentified hostages were also killed by the blood-thirsty criminals and their bodies were dumped around a former military checkpoint behind Idah junction along the Bwari-Jere SCC Road in the Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Reports said Folashade had been buried on Sunday while her mother and siblings were still with their captors.

Meanwhile, efforts made by our correspondent to reach the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, and Lagos police spokesperson to react to the spike in cases of kidnappings across the major cities were abortive.

They failed to respond to several messages seeking their comment on the efforts being made to address the situation.

Commenting on the epidemic of abduction in the FCT, the Chairman, of the NBA Bwari FCT chapter, Paul Dauda, urged the government to tackle the issue of insecurity confronting the nation’s capital.

He said, “It is a pity that this is happening because the warning signs were there. They say they have been working and averted different attacks but the current situation in my jurisdiction is alarming. I have reached out to the Minister, he said he has set up a joint task force. Anything that must be done must be done fast because we do not sleep at night. “

A security expert, Chidi Omeje, knocked the government and security agencies for keeping silent amidst the rising cases of insecurity especially in the Federal Capital Territory.

“The issue of kidnapping in this country is just incredible. People who travel by road are in fear. The government does not seem to understand that there is an issue.

“I am perplexed because every day there is a kidnapping incident in one state or the other.

We have the NSA, Service Chiefs, Police, and NSCDC and they are doing nothing to address the situation. The Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike is more interested travelling to Rivers State for rallies and campaigns. Nigerians are traumatised. People cannot travel safely. It is unfair.’’

He advised the government to “prioritise security because, without security, Nigeria has nothing.”

 The Chief Executive Officer, YouthHub, Rotimi Olawale, said, “The FCT is not only affected by the kidnapping incidents. It has spread to neighbouring states such as Niger, Kaduna, and Benue among others. If not properly handled, the ugly incident will spread to more states.

“The security agencies need to deploy intelligence to deal with this issue. If the kidnappers know that they will not go scot-free once apprehended, the criminal acts will reduce. They need to always act swiftly whenever the need arises.”

 The Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani said nothing changed since the Tinubu administration came on board.

He said, “Comparing between the Buhari and administration and this, what has changed? Nothing. Bandits and terrorists are still very active. Abuja is becoming unsafe, even under Buhari we did not have the mass abductions witnessed in Abuja of late what can you say has changed? Let nobody deceive himself that there has been progress made so far. The government has to redouble its efforts.

Speaking on the security crisis, the Chief Executive Officer of Beacon Intel, and security expert, Dr Kabir Adamu, advised the federal and state governments to collaborate in dominating the forested and other ungoverned spaces, which the gunmen use as safe havens and to keep their victims.

He added, “Individuals and corporate organisations must understand threats and the inherent risks; a necessary prerequisite for adopting the appropriate risk treatment. As security threats are transient, the approach should be dynamic and forward-looking.”