CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Kidnapping is an unlawful incidence through which person is forcefully abducted to an obscure region without wanting to by another individual as a result of the reason best known to them. Therefore, Nigeria was positioned in the global index as one of the worst places to live in light of incessant kidnapping occurrence. Regardless of the fact that kidnapping is as old as human history itself yet its prevalence in the current administration is very disturbing and call for proactive arrangement to make Nigeria a safe place to dwell. Kidnapping has now become a generic word both in broad daylight and private talk about its pervasiveness in the nation.
Based on this, Ngwama CJ (2014) states that the word kidnapping, which has gotten famous and nauseating in the ears, was begat from "kid" which means child and "nab" which means to snatch. In opposition to this statement, the issue of kidnapping has totally gone past abduction of children in Nigeria since this current administration witness a great deal of a pandemonium and kidnapping of government official, legislators, influential individuals, lecturers, royal families, family and even a few rulers were recorded to have been kidnapped from their castle. Generally, Inynag and Abraham (2013) concurred that Kidnapping has gotten endemic in the Nigeria society. It is fast becoming a lucrative alternative to armed robbery offence.
However, kidnapping is now a moneymaking project with a few jobless youths manning the business. No one is secure anymore due to the fact each day, tens of Nigerians were abducted for numerous motives starting from economic, political and private grievances (Odoh ID 2010). In the view of Criminal Law, Kidnapping refers back to the transportation of someone towards his or her will, typically to restrict the character in fake imprisonment without criminal authority. This act can be perpetrated basically to extract ransom or in reference to baby custody as a fall-out of marital dispute (Okoye, Joe-Akunne, Chine 2016).
Therefore, this study vindicates that kidnapping may be known as abduction or maintaining humans hostage both to take ransom from the victim’s own circle of relatives or as a sacrifice for ritual cash or as an extenuative appeasement to win political appointment. In the mild of this, Nnamani (2015) confirms that the number one supply of kidnapping is greediness and short unmerited wealth. And different reasons of kidnapping consist of ethical laxity, unemployment, non-implementation of applicable laws, easy access to arms and ammunition with the aid of using political thugs. In the identical vein, Uzorma and John (2014) revealed that hostage- taking and kidnapping have existed in Nigeria in different forms and for different reasons but is among the business ventures in Nigeria these days due to the fact a few criminals use it as huge enterprise and a regular supply of income particularly in the Northern part of Nigeria where most of these people operate along Abuja-Kaduna Highway.
However, Kidnapping is a dreadful issue that disrupts the tranquility and harmonious comfort of the nation; Nigeria. Suffice to say, this study observed that kidnapping has unfold to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria because of poverty, unemployment, idleness, frustration and desolation many of the youths which enthuse frustrated member to gang up to be able to perform brutality and criminality. In the view of this, Afolabi (2013) concludes that unemployment has been a chief trouble in many parts of the world. Nigeria, as a developing nation is witnessing excessive charge of teenagers’ unemployment which has become one of the important threats to its national security. It is vital to understand that youths are the potential leaders of any given nation of the world due to the fact the youths represent a powerful force and if their energies are nicely channeled, there can be important increase and improvement in that country however if their energies are dissipated on activities which might be unfavourable to National development such nation witness myriads of issues which include unemployment, poverty, bad governance, religious violence, terrorism, cultism, militancy and kidnapping (Ebenuwa-Okoh, Akpochafo, Onoyase 2013).
In the same vein, Danesy (2011) argues that, the parental neglect, lack of proper counseling, bad skill acquisition and drop-out of school syndrome by way of means of youths have led many youths to move from rural regions to cities to meander round most important roads in which they had been seduced with cash benefit and conscripted into numerous sorts of gangs or mystery cults in which they had been educated as ethnic armed forces to unharness terror on different harmless human beings in their sponsors in the society. It is on this note that this study seeks to examine the efforts of the government in enhancing anti-kidnapping efforts along Abuja-Kaduna Highway.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Nigeria has finally turned to a playing ground of carnage, restiveness, religious violence and constant kidnapping which discourage many humans to have hope in higher Nigeria or to have belief promised changed. This study discovered that matters have absolutely modified in Nigeria due to the fact the abductors decided rather influential humans to gain grand of huge ransom and people behind it are youth that alleged to be the leaders of tomorrow however due to corruption, injustice, poverty and unemployment they are now kidnapping the leaders of tomorrow as the simplest means of having cash to survive. There is no gain in saying that mass-media has exhausted their tenacity in reporting the instances of kidnapping in Nigeria. Because the rate at which evil is growing in Nigeria and the cruel ways that lives of innocent ones are being wasted are worrisome.
As indicated by Omede (2015), individuals are troubled consistently with mental and emotional trauma coming about because of bloody sights of dead and damaged groups of closed relatives, close partners and associates littered on the streets, public places and all over.
Along these lines, this study infers that the scourge of kidnapping in Nigeria was entrenched through political incrimination that made firearm and ammunition accessible for their thugs and ruffians during political rallies and campaigns and furthermore government did not give sustainable work to the youth which made number of unemployment to have increased significantly.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The general objective of this study is to enhance anti-kidnapping efforts along Abuja-Kaduna highway in Nigeria. However, the specific objectives of this study therefore are:
i) To understand the forms of kidnapping in Nigeria.
ii) To examine the various factors responsible for kidnapping in Nigeria.
iii) To determine the effects of kidnapping on the Nigerian society
iv) To examine governments’ policies on kidnapping in Nigeria
v) To ascertain the prevalence of kidnapping along Abuja-Kaduna highway in Nigeria
vi) To outline the effects of kidnapping on the victims
1.4 Research Questions
The following statements will serve as the research questions for this study:
i) To understand the forms of kidnapping in Nigeria.
ii) To examine the various factors responsible for kidnapping in Nigeria.
iii) To determine the effects of kidnapping on the Nigerian society
iv) To examine governments’ policies on kidnapping in Nigeria
v) To ascertain the prevalence of kidnapping along Abuja-Kaduna highway in Nigeria
vi) To outline the effects of kidnapping on the victims
1.5 Significance of the Study
The issue of kidnapping in Nigeria is no more new to the Nigerian citizens when compared to early 2000s when it was evolving. This has therefore posed a great challenge to the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in its combating of crime and maintaining national security. This study therefore will be beneficial to the government of Nigeria in putting in place machineries to fight against this menace. It will also be beneficial to security agencies who are directly or indirectly involved in curbing the problem of kidnapping in the country. This study will also add to the existing literature and body of knowledge on the topical issue of kidnapping as it relates to the issue of national security especially in Nigeria. It will also be a reference material for subsequent research works.
1.6 Scope of the Study
In order to achieve the best result for this study, the scope of this study will therefore be limited to mostly people of Kaduna and Abuja who ply on the Abuja-Kaduna Highway. Because this study focuses on anti-kidnapping efforts along Abuja-Kaduna highway in Nigeria, it is believed that kidnapping is predominant in this area. Therefore, efforts shall be made to reach most of the government officials in these two regions (Kaduna and Abuja).
1.7 Limitations of the Study
This study is impaired by the challenge of few materials available for reference on the topic of kidnapping in Nigeria. This has only been a new topic of discuss in the academic setting. Some information which would have been relevant for this research work was not disclosed by security agents who were interviewed.
