I once traveled from Lagos to Maiduguri by road. It was a two-day journey, and even at 2 am, I was still on the Nigerian highway. I thought about stopping in Abuja to rest, but the news of kidnappings I kept hearing worried me. I knew if I stopped, it would be late at night, and I might depend on Google Maps and the driver to find my way. But that didn't feel safe, so I decided to keep going.
The kidnapping situation in Abuja has sparked new fears and concerns among the residents, non-residents (visitors, tourists), and the authorities. The city is a must-visit for public officers of the government and those looking for greener pastures. Many want to take a break from their current city to another but are persuaded not to because of insecurity; and the fear of being a victim of kidnap.
From 2023 till now, many kidnappings have happened in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. It's like a "gold mine" for criminals because it's a way for them to make money. This increase in insecurity, especially kidnappings, became worse when President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023. Since then, more than 200 attacks have been reported in the Federal Capital Territory, resulting in 87 deaths and 176 abductions. Various locations within Abuja, including Gwagwalada, Kuje, Lugbe, Pegi, Abaji, Keti, and Kwali, have been affected, with perpetrators operating with impunity, often overpowering local vigilantes and security agencies.
Let's view this from the angle of the victims themselves; the victims and their families suffer unimaginable trauma, pain, and loss both physically and mentally, while the perpetrators enjoy impunity and profit. Absolutely no one deserves to go through this act of injustice if they live in a country where the government is just and concerned.
It can be recalled that on the outskirts of Abuja on January 2, a father and his six daughters were kidnapped, prompting an outcry, with a crowdfunding effort to pay the ransom even backed by a former minister.
This is a very bad situation, and it shows how serious the problem of kidnapping is in Nigeria. According to The Economist, The wife of President Bola Tinubu publicly lamented a ‘devastating loss’.“Yet such horrors are still appallingly frequent and largely ignored by politicians.
Some of the most notorious kidnapping incidents in Abuja between December 2023 and January 2024 are:
December 12, 2023: One killed and 12 kidnapped in Gbaupe.
December 12, 2023: A nursing mother and three children were kidnapped in Kubwa.
January 5, 2024: Seven persons, including six girls, kidnapped in Bwari.
January 7, 2024: 12 people kidnapped from an estate in the Bwari area.
January 18, 2024: The wife and one in-law of a lawyer, Cyril Adikwu, were kidnapped in Kurudu.
Another alarming incident occurred on January 21, 2024, in Tasharnagulle village, Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State. The kidnappers were terrorists disguised in military uniforms, who entered the village and shot into the air, then told the residents to stop running and claimed to be security personnel. The terrorists abducted 30 people, including men, women, and girls, and took them away on motorcycles into the forest. One of the victims managed to escape and return to the village.
The kidnapping crisis in Nigeria is a grave violation of human rights and dignity, as well as a threat to national security and development. The government has failed to protect the citizens and to bring the kidnappers to justice. The security agencies have also neglected the plight of the poor and the vulnerable, who bear the brunt of the violence. The kidnapping situation in Nigeria is a reflection of the deep-rooted injustice, inequality, and corruption that plague the country. It is a call for urgent action and reform, as well as a demand for accountability and empathy.
The good people of FCT are hence encouraged to note the following emergency lines and promptly report suspicious activities; 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, and 08028940883.
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