KIDNAPPING

       Kidnapping, a dating word from the late 17th century was "steal children to provide servants to the American colonies", was derived from the word "KID" which means "child", and "NAP" which means "snatch away". After the particularly notorious Lindberg baby kidnapping in 1932.

        Kidnapping has now become a big challenge in Nigeria because there is no day in Nigeria when we do not read on newspaper about cases of kidnapping. It refers to an horrific criminal act of taking someone against their will for ransom and other illicit purposes. It is a crime that strikes fear in the hearts of people. It is also a major issue affecting the country whereby they abduct individuals against their will with the intention of abducting them, demanding hefty ransoms for the safe return of their victims .

     There are many cases of kidnapping in Nigeria. Among them are; the Chibok girls who were over 200 that were abducted in Borno state on April 14,2014.

       Also, on February 19, 2018 where the ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) attacked the Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi Yobe state where they abducted 110 girls, five of whom were killed in the abduction. In march the ISWAP returned 104 girls to their families, all the students they had abducted except for Leah Sharibu who refused to comply with their demands and converts to Islam.

       Moreover, just in the morning on January 22nd, 2024  at the gbagada former mobil that is now eterna petrol station, at about 6:00am, two young ladies going to work boarded a bus that was going to VI(Victoria Island) as soon as they entered, the door was shut and the sienna bus took off. Instead of facing 3rd mainland bridge it headed towards ogudu-ojota, the ladies started shouting but the men inside the car told them to keep quiet or he would waste them. 

       They collected their laptops, phones and asked them for their emails and bank apps. They also asked them for the names of the companies they work for then they told the two of them to give names of the respective bosses so they could demand ransom before they release them. One of the ladies even had her clothes torn as one of the kidnaper was trying to rape her in the bus but she was lucky she wore a very strong short tight under her clothes  which made it difficult for the guy to rip it apart. The kidnappers were successful as they demanded 1million naira each from the bosses after that they head back to Lagos gbagada expressway and pushed them out of the car.

       Kidnapping can be cured in Nigeria where there is good standard of living, provision of employment for the youth, making a harsh penalties for culprits, good leadership at all level of government, proper data of immigrants, and  moral religious teachings, there should be provision of a national identification card, driver's license, and voters card to tracking benefits and identification purposes.

       So let's be watchful and extremely cautious. These are really hard times and some very wicked people are desperate to make money at all costs. 

       It is well!!!