For close to a decade, Nigeria has been witnessing abduction, terrorism and banditry. Within the six geopolitical zones of the country, many terrorist groups like Boko Haram have sprung up. Sadly, the operations of these terrorist groups have claimed many lives. The main motives of these assailants are to destroy property, kidnap loved ones and leave families in unending grief. Northern states have recorded a high rate of kidnappings shortly after 276 Chibok girls were abducted by the Boko Haram sect in 2014.
Even though about 100 Chibok girls are still missing, kidnapping and abduction are still prevalent in virtually all parts of the country and these heinous acts are being perpetrated by criminals with guns and locally made weapons. Sadly, kidnapping has turned out to be a lucrative business for terrorists. A BBC documentary titled, ‘The Bandit Warlords of Zamfara’ in 2022, revealed how bandits stormed, destroyed and took away students from different communities for ransom.
They held students and some residents hostage, called each family to pay not less than N2m to bail their children and loved ones. How could parents or families that earn N50,000 per month afford such an amount within a few days? If families didn’t meet up with the deadline, the assailants would slaughter their captives. The lives of humans are like goats and far from being precious in their hands. They don’t care about the cries of blindfolded people, including aggrieved relatives. They only want to escape poverty and economic hardship by torturing and squeezing funds out of the indigent.
It is high time the Federal Government took proactive measures to tackle this menace. Instead of sacrificing the lives of unrelenting soldiers on a daily basis, President Bola Tinubu’s administration should summon a meeting with traditional fathers, especially with the emirs of northern states. From time immemorial, emirs have been the great rulers in their local communities/districts and people accord them greater respect than political office holders.
Apparently, emirs symbolise unity and peace in the North and are closer to the people. Engaging them, to me, is a good way to go in tackling incessant killings and abduction. We should also not forget the fact that emirs pray and preach sermons on Fridays which thousands of people listen to. Those assailants might be part of the congregation too. If Tinubu tactfully engages them, I am sure there will be a positive change.
For those that do not know, Emirs allocate vacant land and forest. Knowing full well that some of the vacant lands are being used by kidnappers as hideouts, the government can work with the emirs to track and locate some of these terrorists wreaking havoc in such lands. Added to that, the president must address youth unemployment, especially in the North. Northern youths are the demographic worst hit by economic hardship in the country, which is triggering abduction.
It is not difficult to believe that some of these bandits are aided and abetted by some politicians for political gains. With the manner and sophistication at which these bandits carry out operations hitch-free, it isn’t even in the realm of conjecture that their sponsors also field them information on the whereabouts of security agencies.
Insecurity undermines growth and development. Therefore, Tinubu needs to act swiftly. The more farmlands are destroyed and farmers killed or abducted, the more poverty worsens. This will negatively affect the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Therefore, the government is left with no choice but to contain insecurity.
- Toheeb Babalola writes from Ibadan, Oyo State
