During the pass decade Nigeria has been said to experience series of kidnap, which makes them as the rates highest, in issue of kidnapping for ransom globally. Between July 2022 and June 2023, no fewer than 3,495 people were abducted in 582 incidents across the country, according to a report by the Lagos-based risk consultancy SBM Intelligence.
Just recently, on Friday, March 29, 2024. Several students were been kidnapped by a group of unknown gunmen along the Evwreni axis of the East-West road in Ughelli, Delta state. This has caused tension to as Gunmen makes Difficult Demand
The students were said to be returning from their school in Cross River state when they were accosted by the gunmen and kidnapped.
Also a recent case of 287 school children abducted in Kaduna that were released, the pupils were said to be abducted by unknown gunmen in the north-western town of Kuriga earlier last month. It is hard to imagine the mental pain and trauma the children must have gone through in the hands of their abductors.
In recent years, the abductions have been concentrated in the country’s northwestern and central regions, where dozens of armed groups often target villagers and travellers for ransom, forcing families and communities to sell land, cattle and grain to secure their loved ones’ release – or in some cases, to turn to crowdfunding on social media sites.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier stated that any individuals involved in kidnapping should be treated as a terrorists. The president has who condemned the “reprehensible acts” perpetrated by kidnappers across the country.