Hatel yet booming; the lucrative business of banditry and kidnapping

By Abdulsemiu Monsuroh

Kidnapping for ransom and extortion by armed bandits, including on roads, in communities, and in schools kidnapping has become the most widespread organized, monitized and fast-paced criminal activity in Nigeria.

For years unending, citizens of Nigeria has been exposed to the cruelty of banditry and terrorist operations with the epicenter at the northern region of the country. It has become so bad that our dailies now bear traumatizing headlines of kidnappings, murders,hostile robberies, etc almost on a daily basis, the region is getting weaker, the people;displaced and traumatized, the future;bleak and pallid.

From the abduction of 276 Chibok school girls in 2014, by the Boko Haram terrorist group to the kidnapping of over 300 Kankara school boys in December 2020 by unknown gun men and the recent mass kidnapping of the Jengebe school girls in February 2021 to mention but a few case of abduction of schoolboys and girls, teachers, and travelers by armed bandits, it is evident that the response of the Nigerian government towards kidnapping and banditry in various regions of the country is inept and nonchalant.

Paradigm has since shifted, the goal of terrorist kidnappers in the past was to kill and maim their captives for benefiting from western education, but now kidnapping by the bandits is ransom oriented and captives appeared to be kept alive for the purpose of ransom negotiation.

Federal and State governments authorities constantly deny paying ransom to secure the release of abductees yet reports have shown that they often do, so.

Government authorities have since resorted to paying ransoms to bandits, and even promise rewards to repentant bandits when it is crystal clear that this would only promote the business of banditry. One would begin to wonder how rotten the nation's security has become.

A governor in the north, Bello Matawale was reported to have promised repentant bandits houses, money and cars in the past and recently hosted the mastermind of the kidnap of 300 kankara school boys and members of his gang at the Zamfara state government house with promises to improve the quality of their living.

Families have testified to paying ransom to kidnappers in exchange for their kidnapped relatives.

Kidnapping, insecurity and banditry is on the rise in the country, and could be regarded as a monetized endemic in north-western Nigeria. Security has deteriorated badly and the value of life has equally depreciated in the country.