The Kidnap Scourge In The South East: Can it Be Curbed?

Some analysts say that the spate of kidnapping, as witnessed today in some parts of Nigeria, can be aptly described as an act of terrorism — an uncanny phenomenon which the world is strenuously contending with nowadays.

Though kidnapping occurs in many states of Nigeria, its preponderance in the South-East geo-political zone, which comprises Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Anambra and Enugu states, is assuming a frightening dimension.

Legal analysts point out that the act amounts to criminality by all definitions of the word and that much of the underlying motives are aimed at the extortion of innocent and law-abiding citizens of the country.

Human rights activists and legal analysts view the forced seizure of persons in order to extort monies as a gross violation of the fundamental human rights of the victims, since they are held against their wishes and exposed to grave dangers.

They note that governments in the South-East zone have variously enacted laws which outlaw kidnapping and make offenders liable to stiff penalties such as life imprisonment.

However, many citizens have expressed concern that some unscrupulous politicians use kidnapping to intimidate opponents, describing the development as a very unhealthy trend in efforts to consolidate the nation’s democracy.

Other observers note that the list of kidnap victims is endless and cuts across all strata of the society. This list includes industrialists, traditional rulers, their relations and popular film stars such as Pete Edochie and Nkem Owoh.

The aged father of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the immediate-past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, was not even spared of the ordeal. So also was former Gov. Chris Ngige of Anambra, who was abducted in 2003 in spite of his full security complement.

There had been reports of the attempted abduction of a renowned traditional ruler, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, during a “ traditional purification process”, just few days ahead of the 6th Ofala Festival – an important annual rite in the ancient kingdom.

“It was simply a madness of monumental dimension”, says Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and legal adviser to the Obi-in-Council, as he recalls the attempted kidnap of the Obi.

Security analysts say it is not surprising that many expatriates, who are choice targets of the abductors, now go about with security escorts all day.

They, however, trace the scourge of kidnapping to the erstwhile restiveness in the Niger Delta region, where militants and warlords abducted their victims, presumably to draw public attention to the neglect of the region, widely acknowledged as producing the bulk of the nation’s wealth.

The likes of Asari Dokubo, Henry Okah, Ateke Tom, Chief Government Ekpemuopolo, a.k.a “Tompolo”, among others, had mounted campaigns to compel oil firms operating in the Niger Delta region to be more responsive to the development needs of the people.

Their militant outfits apparently used abduction as a tool to induce attention and advance their cause but in course of time, kidnapping became a means of extorting money from corporate organisations and individuals.

“It was a novel approach at drawing attention of government to an obvious degradation of the region because of the activities of oil companies,” notes Dr Godwin Ekpihworo, a Port Harcourt-based university don.

Many observers, however, disagree with Ekpihworo’s sentiments, saying that the approach borders on criminality and does not justify the act of kidnapping.

The observers, nonetheless, say that the militants’ activities have raised serious security concerns in the Niger Delta region since socio-economic activities in the area have been severely dislocated.

Responding to the burgeoning militancy in the Niger Delta, the Federal Government deployed a joint military task force to the region to rein in the militants and the squad’s several encounters with militant groups were quite bloody.

However, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua brokered peace with the militants and offered them an unconditional amnesty over a period of time, provided they voluntarily surrendered their weapons.

Many citizens have described the amnesty as a pragmatic approach to resolving the Niger Delta crisis and gladly, the administration of incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan has, on several occasions, restated its commitment toward the sustenance of the post-amnesty programme.

In spite of the ceasefire, some members of former militant groups still view kidnapping as a means of eking out a living and have thus continued to perpetrate the crime, especially in the southeastern states.

Anali Chude, an Enugu-based legal practitioner, says that many unemployed and idle youths take to kidnappings as it provides them with quick returns despite the high risks involved.

“The complicity arising from involvement of some family members in kidnap cases in the South East has made it impossible to prosecute those indicted in the saga under the prevailing laws,” he says.

Chude notes that even though the states have new laws that ought to deter perpetrators, the offenders have yet to be brought to book and so, deterrence appears to be an uphill task.

“There is need for more concerted efforts by states in the South East to contain the scourge,” he says.

However, Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra accuses unscrupulous politicians of being the masterminds of the crime, adding that they often use kidnap to settle family and political scores.

“They have even made it a family business. Some use kidnaps to extort money from family members who fail to extend largesse to them,” he claims.

Security personnel note that the abductors demand ransom as low as N10,000 and tens of millions of naira on the higher side.

However, the Nigeria Police Force has assured the citizenry that they have braced to the challenge posed by kidnapping and recently, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ogbonaya Onovo, announced the deployment of an anti-terrorism squad to the South-East zone.

He also ordered the withdrawal of policemen attached to unauthorised persons, to enable the police to have more leverage to respond adequately to the increasing menace of kidnapping.

Also, recently, the Abia Government offered a general amnesty to repentant kidnappers who voluntarily give themselves up to the authorities. The government gave the assurance that it would rehabilitate them.

“We have a programme to re-absorb and rehabilitate them if they are eager to turn a new leaf,” Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia said.

The government’s action, some citizens say, is a pragmatic approach to solving the problem.

Meanwhile, three arms’ collection centres have been opened for the repentant offenders and Nigerians are cautiously optimistic that the response will be encouraging.

“There must be concerted approach by governments of the region to seek an end to the hydra-headed scourge,” says Dr Ejike Orji, the Country Director of Ipas, a non-governmental organisation.

He warns that “of the nation’s estimated population of 150 million, about 40 per cent, which represents the adolescents’ population, is very vulnerable to easy recruitment as kidnappers”.

Orji pleads with governments at all levels to “do something very urgent” to ensure that these youths are gainfully employed.

Analysts agree that the challenge posed by kidnapers across the country is enormous but they believe that with the concerted efforts of all the stakeholders, particularly in the endemic states, the problem would be drastically curtailed, if not totally eliminated.

Nezianya writes for NAN

Tony Nezianya