By Farida Kamaludeen
Kidnapping in Nigeria is fast becoming a monster. It is now a recurrent thing to hear daily; a dosage of the sad news of the abduction of people, especially children, in the country one which generated the “bring back our girls” worldwide emotional campaign.
Kidnapping is the act of forcibly taking people away against their will. It involves taking the victims to a secluded place, placing a call to their loved ones, and demanding a ransom for the victims to be set free.
Kidnapping may take place for political, financial, religious, or emotional reasons. It is a punishable offence in Nigeria, as the Criminal Code Act c38 prescribes ten years in prison or life imprisonment as the penalty for this act.
In Nigeria, there are many notorious kidnapping groups which have caused serious political and social unrest in the country. The abduction carried out by these groups has attracted the attention and intervention of both local and international organisations.
There are many causes of kidnapping. In the first place, the rate of unemployment in Nigeria is a massive cause of kidnapping. Many job seekers see kidnapping as an escape from their suffering. Relatedly, poverty is another cause of kidnapping in Nigeria, as many of the extremely poor Nigerians see this criminal activity as a get-rich-quick scheme.
Nonetheless, the solution to kidnapping in Nigeria should be of paramount importance to the government, which should ensure that there are jobs for people, especially the youth. Jobs will occupy people’s minds and attention and also make them earn money. There should also be intensive education infrastructure to ensure that people know the law and are trained in one trade or profession. A friendly business environment should be provided as this will help the people to be gainfully employed and then view kidnapping and other criminal activities with disdain. Religious and political leaders should also educate their followers on the evils of kidnapping. Finally, the government should ensure that law enforcement agents are well equipped and motivated to secure the lives of citizens and their property.
Farida Kamaludeen is of Fountain International School, Kano
