ISSUES OF KIDNAPPING IN NIGERIA

Since April 2014, after the Book Haram terrorists abducted 276 school girls from their dormitories in Chibok, Borno State, mass kidnapping for ransom has gradually, become the other of the day. The country has witnessed staggering 111 kidnapping incidents in the last eight months, that is, from January to August, 2021. The hightest number of kidnap cases(27), was recorded in February with 605 victims. This was closely followed by July(23), and January (21) with 327 and 284 victims respectively. Security experts says that the inabilty of the federal government, through the security agent to stem the development has lead to a surge in kidnapping and banditry. According to the experts, armed bandits have taken advantage of weak security presence to continue their reign of terror on schools, villages and highways. Investigation showed that about #11.415 billions was demanded as ransom for kidnapped victims across the country. Kidnapping has been common place and a sort of business to bandits and other criminal element who raid, kill and mass kidnap for ransom particularly of school children.