Retired military generals have provided insights into why kidnappers have remained ruthless despite the spirited efforts of security operatives in the country.
The security experts attributed the unabated kidnapping activities to the compromise of some security operatives and community leaders, and insufficient collaboration among security agencies.
Kidnapping is a major security threat in the country, and many notable citizens have fallen victim, the most recent being the former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brg. Gen. Maharazu Tsiga (Retd).
He was abducted at gunpoint from his hometown in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State on February 5, 2025, alongside nine other residents.
The kidnappers initially demanded a staggering N250m ransom. But when his family and community couldn’t raise the amount, the gunmen held him hostage for nearly two months.
In the end, his family was forced to part with over N60m before the kidnappers finally let him go.
A farmer in Delta State, Godwin Anuka, was murdered in front of his wife and children on March 29, after they were kidnapped in the Ubulu-Uku area of the state.
Harrison Gwamnishu, the Senior Special Assistant on Civil Society and Youth Mobilisation to the Delta State Governor, in a Facebook post on Wednesday, said “Before targeting Anuka and his family, the gunmen had also abducted two others, identified as Chibueze and Afam.”
Further exacerbating concerns, some kidnappers also killed three abducted residents of Surubu community in the Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State on March 22, 2025, despite a hefty ransom payment.
Another chilling case that underscores the ruthlessness of kidnappers in Nigeria in recent times is the abduction of a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly who represented Onitsha North 1 Constituency, Justice Azuka.
He was kidnapped on December 24, 2024, in Onitsha.
Despite efforts to secure his release, his decomposing body was discovered near the Second Niger Bridge on February 6, 2025.
The scale of these abductions was further revealed by Afenifere National Youth President, Eniola Ojajuni, after he was released having spent 12 days from captivity.
Ojajuni disclosed that kidnappers operate at least 55 camps across the South-West alone, strategically positioned for their operations.
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