The menace of kidnapping in Nigeria started from the Niger Delta area when militants wanted both national and international attention. Soon unemployed youths all over the nation saw it as the best way to make quick money. Now the statistics are frightening. PHILIP NYAM examines the ugly trend and suggests a way out before the kidnapping business becomes a negotiation tool in the hands of dirty politicians

No Nigerian, no matter how young today, is oblivious of the damage caused by kidnapping on the psyche of the citizenry and the image of the country in the last few years. Just over the weekend, Dr. Jahalil Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, leader of one of the many groups campaigning for President Goodluck Jonathan's election in 2011, 'Jonathan NaKowa,' was abducted in his office in Abuja by four armed men. Tafawa Balewa, who has since been rescued from the pangs of the kidnappers had reportedly made arrangements to pay a N7 million ransom out of the N100 million demanded by them.

Again, just before the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) conducted its party primaries for the 2010 governorship election in Anambra state, father of the eventual winner, Professor Charles Soludo was kidnapped while he was still campaigning. The police in the state reportedly questioned Chris Uba who was said to be behind the aspiration of some twenty-one contenders for the ticket. Even without it being told, it was obvious that pressure was being mounted on Soludo to give up his aspiration in a most intimidating way. Soludo may have survived the episode and contested in the actual election, but kidnapping and political violence only seems to be getting more sophisticated in the country.

The kidnapping of four journalists a few weeks ago only testifies to this fact. In spite of efforts by the police, the assailants got away with their crime and appeared to have been more organized than the police. The kidnap cases are varied and one cannot list all of them. But among those who have fallen victim to the acts of the abductors include Kaduna State SSG, Mr. Waje Yayok, Nollywood actor, Pete Edochie, businessman and transporter, G.U. Okeke and Information Minister, Prof. Dora Akunyili's younger brother, Dr. Francis Edemobi. Wife of the former managing director of Nigerian Breweries, chief Festus Odimegwu and just recently, Prof. A.N. Okono, a professor of medicine at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and a member of the Delta State House of Assembly have been reportedly kidnapped.

A serving senator, Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing Abia South Senatorial District, narrowly escaped being abducted recently in his home state. The kidnappers trailed him and shot severally at his convoy. Although, he came out unhurt, his police escort who engaged the charlatans in an exchange of fire eventually lost his life in the duel. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

At this rate, the number of political kidnappings and violence could escalate ahead of next year's general elections. In years to come, Nigeria could be competing with Mexico when it comes to kidnapping and violence. Even worse, the political landscape could begin to look like that of the Russian province of Chechnya where it is the police and other security agencies that planned the kidnapping of political opponents of President Ramzan Kadyrov.

According to the inspector general of police, Ogbonna Onovo, between 2008 and 2010 Nigeria recorded over 887 kidnap cases. The police boss revealed that kidnapping was highest in Rivers State with 216 cases, followed by Anambra State with 191 cases, Edo 166, Akwa Ibom 100, Delta 85, Abia state 68 and Imo state with 61 cases. These statistics are by every standard intimidating and should be a source of concern to the people and the government at various levels especially as we get close to election period. These statistics, to say the least, are omen of the fragile security situation we may face during the elections proper.

These kidnapping activities are due to several reasons: they could be politically motivated as some politicians would want to employ the services of abductors to intimidate or eliminate their opponents; some criminally minded youths also use kidnapping as a trade to eke a living, though on the fast lane. Bribery, blackmail and intimidation all go hand in hand with politics, but for the few who lack political skills to negotiate or, at the very least, bully the way to the voters heart, kidnapping and sometimes murder has been added to the list of political tools for bargaining. Time and again, events in the country, particularly in the south east have proven that Nigeria is fast becoming a state controlled by kidnappers. There are almost no limitations to the crimes that can be committed in the name of politics.

The issue in the south east is most disturbing and appaling. The first shock was the kidnapping of a sitting governor, Dr. Chris Ngige in 2003 by men of the Nigerian Police and on the orders of a civilian with no political power. The goal then was to get the governor to part with a substantial amount of public funds. Every tool available was used in the effort to get rid of Ngige - from the police who refused him protection to the blackmail of state legislatures. It is the Court of Appeal that finally pushed him out of the government house on behalf of his adversaries.

The origin of kidnapping in the country cannot be ignored and the role it has played in shaping political events. It is hard to deny that violence in the Niger Delta and what started as desperate measure to gain the world's attention to the plight of people on the region has today turned into a potent political force. The kidnapping of foreign nationals was the one way militants were sure that the insurgency would not be ignored by the government. Since 1999 and after initial hiccups, the government of Obasanjo worked to appease militants in the region. But some governors in the region have (allegedly) continuously used the militants to meet political ends. Almost all the known militant groups were said to be under the payroll of one governor or the other.

Way out:

With this development staring us in the face, there can never be a better time for the National Assembly to rise up to its responsibilities through proactive laws on counter-terrorism and allied crimes. Fortunately, there is the anti-terrorism and money laundering bills before the parliament and considering the frightening records of the country in kidnapping, the National Assembly should, as a matter of urgency, pass this law to strengthen the war against terrorism and kidnapping in the country.

Similarly, President Jonathan should also sound audacious and clear that his government cannot condone acts of criminality, especially kidnapping, any longer. The president needs a special adviser on counter-terrorism and kidnapping, who should be an expert in the area. In addition, the anti-terrorism squad needs to be beefed up and be made up of a joint military men, like the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta.

This assignment should be separated from the regular police, in order to give it a bite; because the police as it is presently constituted have been over burden due to the magnitude of work and inadequate equipment and lack of motivation. There should also be a special committee that would work with the special adviser in this area to fashion out ways of tackling this menace from the root. If this is not done quickly, Nigeria may become unsafe especially for those who have excelled in their various areas of endeavor and those going into politics or already by it.