Kidnapping for ransom has continued to escalate in spite of efforts by the government to arrest it. In this report, some Nigerians suggested how to end it, and also recommended appropriate punishment for offenders.
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi; Noah Ebije, Kaduna; Okey Sampson, Umuahia; Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti; Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin and Femi Folarin, Bayelsa
Capital punishment should be applied to serve as a deterrent: Prof. Edward Ogunleye, lecturer at Ekiti State University, Ekiti
Some scientific ways of tracking kidnappers immediately they strike (like the use of drones) could be adopted, while forfeiture of everything they may own and capital punishment may serve as a deterrent for such criminals.
Our laws should work: Steve Aborisade, public affairs analyst; Abuja
To stop this menace, we may need to tackle some of the root causes. One of them is the massive youth unemployment that has risen to an all time high, which has ensured many young people see crime and criminality as an option. Secondly, is the proliferation of small arms in the hands of non-state actors, particularly youths, who work for politicians during elections with little control afterwards. Seeing how lucrative kidnapping has become, they see it as an avenue for quick money. Our security outfits that seem incapable in tackling this challenge, coupled with the fact that the government has looked powerless in the face of all these paying ransom money in many instances have emboldened perpetrators. For punishment, we have laws dealing with these crimes; we simply need our laws to work. While perpetrators are made to face the music, we also must, as a matter of priority, ensure that we get back all illegal arms in the hands of these people. In a nutshell, what is needed is making these crimes unattractive by ensuring swift punishment of perpetrators and their collaborators. Perpetrators must be made to face the music swiftly.
Capital punishment for offenders: Celestine Pavchia, social health worker; Benue
Firstly, we should decentralise security control and engage the community more. The governors of each state should be in charge of policing their states. I am also an advocate of state police, because, someone from a particular state knows the terrains better than someone brought in from outside.
The traditional rulers must also be engaged in the security of their vicinities because they live with the people and know who is who there. In addition, the military should be removed from within and send to our borders where the weapons used for various crimes are brought in.
On the appropriate punishment, capital punishment should be given to offenders. This should be done in real time to deter others.
Government should establish rehab centres for culprits: Dinna Azaana, teacher; Benue
We have some many graduates roaming the streets. If government can create job opportunities for them it will go a long way to keep them busy instead of being idle. The government should established rehabilitation centres for skills acquisition for culprits.
Government should introduce bounty: Festus Alenkhe, journalist; Edo
There should be joint security patrol along the federal and the state highways by the military, the police, the DSS and the civil defence. The federal government should make the logistics available. There should be bounty. Anybody in Nigeria that can give the security agencies useful information, such a person should be paid. They do this in other parts of the world. If you have genuine information that can lead to the arrest of a criminal element, you will be paid for it. All these will help in reducing crimes in Nigeria.
Government should deploy security equipment: Sunny Ighedosa, right activist; Edo
Kidnapping is going to continue in Nigeria, as long as governments at all levels are not serious with steps taken so far to stop it, which is providing the necessary modern gadgets required to thwart kidnapping even before it happens. Remember some incidents of kidnapping that happened in Ghana few years ago. the kidnappers had to abandon their victims because of the security equipment deployed by the Ghanaian security forces.
Capital punishment for offenders: Kingsley Abavo, journalist; Edo
Insecurity will continue in Nigeria because of the prevailing circumstances in the country. It is the multifaceted problems that are causing it. Some people now see kidnapping as an avenue to make quick money. I recommend capital punishment or life imprisonment for anyone caught in the act of kidnapping.
Government should go after people with questionable wealth: Emeka Akasike, trader; Abia
It is true that the government, especially in Abia State has done a lot to stop kidnapping, but it still persists.
Firstly, to stop it, the government should provide jobs for the youths. If the youths are gainfully employed, they will not have the time to think about criminal activities, particularly kidnapping. Government across the country should also enact laws to prosecute those with questionable wealth. Some of them are proceeds of kidnapping and owners of such wealth shouldn’t be allowed to enjoy them if the country will be free from this Government should come up with formidable security architecture: Rev Michael Igu, cleric; Abia
Fighting kidnapping should not be left to the government alone, everybody should be involved. It is unfortunate that the society appears to be encouraging that because of the high premium it placed on material wealth. No matter what the government does, kidnapping will not stop if people who made money under questionable means are not ostracised instead of presenting them as society’s first-eleven. Government should put in place a security architecture that will make it impossible for criminals to operate and go free.
Government should provide gainful employment: Mrs. Ada Chima, public servant; Abia
Although, some people are of the view that kidnapping cannot be eradicated, but I believe if adequate measures are put in place, something positive would be achieved in this direction.
Firstly, the government should not only provide gainful employment for the teaming youths, but should also provide the enabling environment for those who want to be self reliant to achieve their aim without passing through hardships as it is the case presently. The present economic policy that has stifled the economy of the country would only make crimes like kidnapping to exacerbate.
The judiciary shouldn’t waste time in trials of suspects: Arimiyau Oyesiji, businessman; Ekiti
Some people are involved in kidnapping because they are unemployed. To solve this, the government should provide jobs for all school graduates, support uneducated ones to be self reliant, they should be encouraged to venture into agribusiness or other entrepreneurship.
This cuts across various regions, tribes or religions, some people indulge in this heinous crime as a means of expressing their grievances of marginalisation to the government. This category of people should be identified, find out what they want and enter into a peace pact with them. Government and its security agencies should also be serious and determined in fighting the menace, the legislature should enact strong laws to curb kidnapping, the judiciary should also be alive to its responsibility by not wasting time in their trials, and to pass well deserved judgment on anyone found guilty of kidnapping.
Capital punishment to serve as warning to others: Afolabi Raphael, trader; Ekiti
The government has continued to address the issue of kidnapping with levity thereby giving these hoodlums the opportunity to spread their tentacles across the country like harmattan wild fire. To curb this menace, the government must take stringent measures. There are modern technologies that can be used to fish out kidnappers. Also, those arrested for this heinous crime should be given capital punishment to serve as warning to others who have similar intentions.
Capital punishment can curb it: Anthony Sani, ex secretary general of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Kaduna
Kidnapping is on the rise precisely because it is a business for those who engage in it. And as long as the kidnappers have not gotten other opportunities to replace it, they would not let go.
One of the ways of overcoming it is to increase the number of trained and equipped police personnel who are well motivated to secure the nation. We have about 250,000 police personnel out of which more than 100,000 are attached to VIP is not adequate for manning Nigeria effectively. The security personnel should use ICT for tracking the kidnappers who also use phones that could be tracked. Effort should be made in addressing the underlying causes of such menace like poverty that comes with unemployment and ignorance.
A situation where current number of out of school children is over 10 million is not acceptable. This is because such children are Boko Haram, bandits and kidnappers of tomorrow. I am not sure capital punishment can help curb kidnapping where there is alternative course for survival for them. I say so because Nigeria once tried capital punishment for armed robbers, but it did not work”.
Offenders deserve maximum punishment: Elder John Fwah, community leader; Kaduna
It’s not surprising that kidnapping for ransom has escalated. I am sure that the governments have made little or no efforts to arrest it. This is because the few government officials kidnapped were quickly released in less than 24 hours.
To stop kidnapping is an uphill task. It appears the more they are killed they reinforced. This is because it has been tagged ‘profession’ by Nigerians. The only way it can be arrested and checked is for the government to do the needful by providing the people with social amenities and most especially energy electricity supply, transportation by road, railway and waterways, to encourage Nigerians with small scale businesses to reduce joblessness and hooliganism among the youth.
Offenders deserve maximum punishment and should be seen to be done. Nigerians want to see action being done.
Whoever is found guilty is brought to book: Danjuma Bello Sarki, PDP Chairmanship Aspirant: Kaduna
Kidnapping is escalating because of lack of confidence in government by the populace and the people believe that the government is not sincere and totally disconnected from the people. Because of lack of commitment on the part of government to stop this kidnapping, many people are not willing to provide intelligence information in assisting to arrest the situation. In most cases, security agencies are not being encouraged or motivated as stipends meant for them are often sidelined by government officials. There must be timely release of funds to the security agencies for motivation. As for the punitive measure, government must take serious punitive measures against offenders, and ensure that whoever is found guilty is brought to book no matter how highly placed in the society. In any society where there is no punishment for criminals it calls for anarchy and chaos, but where there is discipline and criminals are brought to book, no matter how highly placed, it will serve as deterrent to others.
Capital punishment is good for offenders: Tife Owolabi, journalist; Bayelsa
Strengthening of security measures by security agencies is crucial to stop kidnapping. This included, bolstering law enforcement agencies, increasing their presence in vulnerable areas, and enhancing intelligence gathering and sharing. Effective patrol strategies and response teams must also be implemented to prevent and respond to kidnapping incidents.
Also, addressing socio-economic factors is vital. Poverty and unemployment can drive individuals to criminal activities, so implementing programmes to address these issues is essential.
I will recommend capital punishment because it is the only way out of the menace.
Firing squad is best punishment: Tony Ile, politician; Bayelsa
The punishment for kidnapping should be firing squad. Though this method in the past for armed robbers refused to deter them, it helped to slow down the pace.
Secondly, the security agencies should reactivate the security gadgets that are in their custody. The kidnappers are not in the moon, the modern technology at the disposal of the security agencies are able to track anyone using phones to communicate in their hide out with the family they are requesting for ransom.