•197 abducted in 4 months
By Henry Umahi [email protected]
These are, certainly, not the best of times for Nigerians. Apart from the economic recession, which has made life difficult for the citizenry, security is a huge challenge. And one of the crimes that have figuratively hit the roof is kidnapping. In fact, kidnapping has become something of a national embarrassment
Almost on daily basis, Nigerians and foreigners are kidnapped in their numbers. From the North to the South, it is the same story. Men and women, children and adults are all victims. It is so bad that social status and religion are no longer issues. No place is sacred, as people have been abducted in worship centres, highway, school premises, residences, market or wherever. And time matters not to the kidnappers. They are on duty round the clock.
Indeed, the situation is such that people are gripped by fear wherever they are. Nobody knows whose turn is next considering the ease with which people are grabbed and the frequency. The kidnappers are predictably unpredictable. They fish in troubled waters, taking away big fishes surrounded by security personnel. Take the case of Mrs. Margaret Emefiele, wife of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who was kidnapped along the Benin-Agbor Road on September 29. According to reports, she was being escorted by policemen when the kidnappers struck. The policemen simply succumbed to the superior firepower of the kidnappers.
Four days after, the immediate past Minister for Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Laraba Mallam, was kidnapped alongside her 73-year old husband, Mr. Pius in Jere area of Kagarko Local Government in Kaduna State. The couple also had a police escort.
Investigation revealed that over 161 persons were kidnapped in the country within three months. Between September and October this year, about 100 hostages were rescued, while 59 suspected kidnappers were arrested by the Bauchi State Police Command. This was disclosed by Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Zaki M. Ahmed, while enumerating the achievements recorded by the command within the period under review.
However, a security expert, Dr. Ona Ekhomu, observed that incidents of kidnap are far higher than reported cases. He said: “What we do realise is that for every high profile kidnap case that finds its way into the media, you have a hundred other cases that are unreported and uncelebrated. What I mean by that is that the incidence of kidnap is really quite high.”
Some of the victims
The rampancy of kidnapping is such that one would not be wrong to conclude that the situation is thus: One day, one kidnap. Findings revealed that about 197 people were kidnapped in the last four months.
To be sure, the cases are legion. Some of them are: On July 1, a fresh graduate of Babcock University, Ilishan- Remo, Ogun State, Justina Anochie was abducted. Sierra Leonean Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Major General Alfred Nelson, (retd), was kidnapped along Abuja-Kaduna expressway on July 2. On July 5, three, four-year-olds identified as Chibuzor Nwosu, Bayo Adeyemi and Barakat Saka were kidnapped in Lagos.
Also, gunmen kidnapped an expatriate working on the Epe Township Expansion Project, Epe, being executed by the Lagos State government on July 6.
On July 7, gunmen abducted the monarch of Iyasan Town, in Irele LGA of Ondo State, Oba Abiodun Oyewumi. On July 7, two suspects were arrested over the abduction of Mrs. Cynthia Diden, wife of a lawmaker, Michael Diden, representing Warri North, Delta state.
Other kidnapped cases are: July 8: Kidnappers of Ondo monarch, Oba Yishau wanted N40milion ransom. A Catholic Priest based in Kano, Rev Julius Gospel, was released by gunmen on July 11. Same day, gunmen abducted a man, Joel Benson in Ibafo community, Ogun State. The 35-year-old cinematographer was kidnapped at his residence.
On July 12, gunmen abducted Governor Ambode’s Account Director, Mr. Thomas Otuyemi and his son. On July 14, an officer of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, Peter Ofulue, was abducted by gunmen at Owutu, Ikorodu. It was the turn of Police Inspector Sunday Omoika attached to the Ekpoma Division of Edo State Police Command, as he was abducted on July 15.
Alhaji Oyebanji Wasiu and Alhaji Isiaka Owolabi, two farm owners, alongside the manager of the farm, Abiodun Adeniyi, were kidnapped on July, 17, 2016 at Egan, Ifoki area of Ikorodu, Lagos. The Cross River State Police Command smashed a kidnap gang and rescued Senator Godwin Oduma on July 20. The victim was abducted at his residence at Calabar.
Lagos monarch, Oba Yishau Goriola Oseni, was abducted in July. Kidnappers demanded N30million for the release of Petroleum Training Institute, Effurum, Chief Security Officer, Mr. John Odogun. Kayode Bajomo, a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Santos bus-stop, Isawo in Ikorodu area of Lagos, was kidnapped during church service in July. On July 29, a suspected child abductor, Ola Ibikunle, was detained by the police after he was caught with a four-year-old girl named Eniola at Oyero area of Ijoko, Ogun State.
On Sunday, August 7, a 15-year-old-boy was kidnapped at Ugba, headquarters of Logo Local Government Area of Benue State. The bandits were reported to have robbed the victim’s parents of N200, 000 and two mobile telephone handsets before the abduction. In August, a policewoman, Sergeant Lare Areh, was abducted in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State. On Sunday, August 14, a 70-year-old retired permanent secretary in Kogi State, Moses Onivehu, was kidnapped. On August 26, a two-year-old Christiana Idowu was kidnapped in Maza-Maza area of Lagos.
On Sunday, August 28, a community leader, Chief Sabinus Obuah, was kidnapped at his residence in Ubima community, in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. He was reportedly kidnapped alongside his wife and son. Also in August, Chief Watson Iti, the father of the member representing Brass Constituency 2, in Bayelsa State House of Assembly, was kidnapped. On September 3, three children were reportedly kidnapped on their way to the farm in Benue State.
On September 6, five-month-old Chidubem Ohioma was abducted by gunmen in Okporo village, Orlu Council Area of Imo State after his mother was killed. On September 7, 24-year-old son of the Dean of Graduate School of the University of Calabar, Onyebuchi Okwueze, was abducted. On September 16, three women and a six-month-old baby were kidnapped along Igbodu Isiwo Road, in Epe, Lagos State. Two of the women, Oluwatoyosi Aboderin and Ogechukwu Maku, were farmers, while the third, identified as Togo, was farm labourer. On September 17, four landlords in Lagos fell into the hands of kidnappers while jogging.
On October 2, Yemisi Ogunubi Adesanya confessed to hiring a gang to kidnap her younger brother, Idowu Adesanya. Ransom of N900, 000 was paid for his release. October 3: A suspect named Ebasador Bright kidnapped a girl named Bridget Igwe. He was arrested in Benin City, Edo State, according to Leye Oyebode, the Commissioner of Police, Edo. In October, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking on Persons (NAPTIP) arrested an 88-year-old for allegedly kidnapping one Success in September 2016.
In October, police in Taraba arrested Khadija, a female undergraduate in the state university for her alleged role in the abduction of the House of Assembly speaker, Abeh Diah’s daughter. A Ghanaian simply known as Believe and her friend, Agatha, were arrested by the police for their alleged role in the kidnapping of a nine-year-old on October 4. Gunmen kidnapped Mr. Nnamdi Abbah in Rivers State on October 4. Also, gunmen kidnapped four students, vice principal and a teacher at Lagos Model College on October 6. The six victims were: Vice Principal A.O. Oyesola, English and Civil Education teacher, Mr. Lukman Oyerinde, while two of the pupils were Isaac Adebisi and Okonkwo.
Mother of five, Mrs. Ati Boyor foiled kidnappers attempt to abduct her on Monday, October 10. Three men in Onuimo LGA of Imo State were burnt to death on October 5, for kidnapping newborn baby. Mr. Emmanuel Brown, a printing press employee in Ikeja, Lagos was abducted on Friday, October 7, for a ransom of N100 million. In October, gunmen kidnapped former caretaker Committee Chairman of Emohua LGA of Rivers State, Mr. Nnamdi Abbah.
On October 10, a Romanian engineer, Cristian Nedeclu, was abducted at Railway village in Owa-Oyibo, Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State. A Kaduna businessman, Abubakar Adamu and his wife, Fatima Abubakar, were arrested for the theft of two to five-year-old children. The arrest was carried on October 12. Mr. Amaechi Ahanonu of Amato Orogwe, in Owerri West LGA of Imo State, was kidnapped on October 17. It was the second abduction in the community within three months, as Mrs. Jane Agazie, an indigene, suffered the similar fate.
Twelve kidnap victims, including rural women, were rescued from their abductors by the police at Falgore forest in Kano on October 18. Eleven suspects were also arrested during the operation. On October 19, gunmen abducted a prominent Sokoto Muslim cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Lawal Madoki, together with his wife, her sister and his younger brother’s wife. Twelve year Eniola Oyekanmi was kidnapped in the Ketu area of Lagos on October 21.
Why kidnapping is booming
Offering perspectives on why the business of kidnap is flourishing, a security expert, Ekhomu, said: “I think it is a combination of factors. One fact is that the economy is bad and people feel that’s the way to make a living. Second, most of the time, people who do the crime are not caught. They get away with their loot and that makes it attractive. Three, there is low level of security awareness on the part of the citizens; the fact that we are not very conscious of our environment and of the things that can result to security threat against us.
“Another reason is the poor level of policing in the country. These agencies are overworked; they are undermanned and under-equipped. So, people are not receiving the kind of police services that they require, which will deter or discourage kidnappers. There is also the copycat effect. The fact that people are kidnapping is a fad of the day; it is the crime of the day. Some other persons who are idle will tend to get into the same thing just to have something to do.”
On the way out of the problem, Ekhomu, who was almost kidnapped not too long ago, said: “The most important thing here is to first agree that there is a problem; that we do have a serious security problem in the country. Right now, there is a tendency, particularly on the part of the authorities, to minimalize it. That is to make it seem as if it is one of those things. So, what we do realise is that for every high profile kidnap case that finds its way into the media, you have a hundred other cases that are unreported and uncelebrated. What I mean by that is that the incidence of kidnap is really quite high and because it is easy to just commit the crime and not get punished, that creates a lure to that crime. People want to go into it because it is working. So, I think the problem starts with the law enforcement agencies. In other climes, when they commit the crime, they are caught and punished. That, of course, creates a deterrent effect. If people are punished severely for a crime they commit and other people hear, that will discourage them even if they are planning to commit the same crime.
“So, I think the fact that we have low law enforcement and low intelligent gathering in security is not helping the situation because you need to have those things in place. Kidnap is not something that should be prevented, not defended. It is something that one should be in it because once someone is in there it is 50:50 whether they will come out alive or dead. Most kidnap victims don’t come out alive; so it is that unfortunate.”
Ekhomu added: “I have once said that government should call an expert group to study the problem of kidnapping so that things will start coming out in an authoritative fashion. For example, this interview I am having with you now is just a private conversation and it doesn’t have the imprimatur of government. But if government comes out and declares this same fact, it will have a different effect. Since government does not have the information, what they need to do is to get an expert group that will study the incidence of kidnapping – how many are occurring, where are they occurring, why are they occurring, what are the driving factors and so and so forth so that we then get a good profile of this and all Nigerians can then weigh it in terms of resolving the problem.”
Laws on kidnapping in some states in Nigeria
By Sunday Ani
Rivers State – In February 2009, the State House of Assembly passed a Kidnap Prohibition Bill, which carries a sentence of life imprisonment upon conviction while attempted kidnapping entails a 20-year prison term without an option of a fine. The House rejected motions to make kidnapping a capital offence on the basis that such punishment is already available in the country’s penal codes for specified offences.
Enugu State – On February 19, 2009, the Enugu State House of Assembly passed into law a bill making kidnapping, with the use of a gun, a capital offence in the state; an offense that previously carried a 10-year prison sentence upon conviction. Under this new law, kidnapping without the use of a gun will still be punishable by a 10-years prison term.
Oyo State – The state governor, Abiola Ajimobi, in May, gave assent to a new kidnapping (prohibition) bill 2016, which prescribes death sentence or life imprisonment for any person who engages in kidnapping.
Bayelsa State – Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State was one of the governors in the Niger Delta region to approve death penalty for kidnappers in 2013.
Edo State -Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, also approved capital punishment for kidnapping in 2013. He declared that the death penalty in the state applies to all acts of kidnapping, whether or not it involved murder.
Delta State – The Delta House of Assembly also passed the Anti-Kidnapping Bill 2013 into law, imposing a death sentence on any person convicted of kidnapping in the state.
Akwa-Ibom – In Akwa Ibom State, the then Governor Godswill Akpabio signed the Internal Security and Enforcement Bill, 2009, into law on May 15, 2009.
Imo State – In Imo State, the former governor, Ikedi Ohakim, signed the anti-kidnapping bill into law in 2009, vowing that defaulters would pay with their lives.
Abia State – The law in Abia State prescribes the death sentence for persons convicted of kidnapping.
Anambra State – The State House of Assembly made kidnapping a capital offence when it passed the Criminal Code (Amendment) Law on March 17, 2009. The then Governor, Peter Obi approved the law, which was intended to tame the unlawful business of kidnapping in the state. In Anambra State, locations used by kidnappers are demolished.
Cross River State – The state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, signed into law a bill that prescribes death penalty for convicted kidnappers in the State. The law also empowers the state to seize assets as well as freeze accounts belonging to convicted kidnappers and those who aid and abet kidnapping in the State.
Kogi State – The Kogi State Executive Council recently approved death penalty for kidnapping and other related criminal activities in the state.