The Impact of Kidnapping for Ransom on Nigeria’s Image (original) (raw)

The Changing Dynamics of Kidnapping in Nigeria and Implications for National Development

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE, 2021

Kidnapping for ransom before the 1990s was not a very prominent form of criminality until the Niger Delta militants began using it to press home their demands for redress to perceived injustices done their region. Ransom payment made kidnapping a very attractive crime and it spread from the Niger Delta region to all parts of Southern Nigeria. From Southern Nigeria, kidnapping for ransom spread to the Northern part of the country and was embraced by criminal gangs and terrorist groups such as Boko Haram; an Islamic group fighting a war of insurgency in the North East. This opened a new vista of criminality in Nigeria. Since then it has grown in proportion to a much sought after criminal act by criminally minded persons due to the high monetary gains involved. With the aid of mainly secondary sources, the paper uses both narrative and analytical tools to dilate on contours of the problem. It argues that kidnapping has festered in the country due to the introduction of ransom and this is generating damning implications for national development. The paper makes suggestions on ways to contain the hydra headed act of criminality currently ravaging the country.

An Analysis of the Causes and Consequences of Kidnapping in Nigeria

Kidnapping is a serious crime and has potential for transforming into other felonious offenses, such as physical violence, financial victimisation, and murder. This paper did not focus only on the consequences of kidnapping; rather it sought to examine its causes in Nigeria. Thus, the objectives of the study are: to examine the nexus between terrorism and kidnapping; to investigate the mutual reinforcement between corruption and kidnapping; and to find out if kidnapping and poverty are correlated. Using secondary qualitative, the study found that kidnapping has been taking place in Nigeria due to the activities of insurgent groups of the Niger Delta region, but it increased with the emergence of " Boko Haram " terrorism in the Northeastern Nigeria; corruption is not strongly related to kidnapping, but they have indirect connection whereby youth political thugs served corrupt political leaders and turned out to become kidnappers for ransom from political opponents; and pove...

The Causes of Kidnapping and its Implications on Nigeria

Liberal Arts and Social Sciences International Journal (LASSIJ)

The incessant incidences of kidnapping in Nigeria have grown into a severe National threat to its society and is ravaging the country’s socioeconomic wellbeing. The study aims to explore the national security and socioeconomic implications of this menace. The study applied the functionalism theoretical assumptions and employed Qualitative Document Analysis (QDA) based on the previous studies review conducted on kidnapping such as current literature, media reports, and newspaper to figure out the gap and come up with new findings on the causes of this menace. The study found that the government's reluctance to address such challenges is the force igniting heinous crimes in the country. It is due to the negligence of the Nigerian government to address the root-causes of the phenomenon such as; youth unemployment, quick-money syndrome, hard-drug influence, and others. The study suggests some measures such as public awareness programs, a synergic approach between the security forces...

Impact of incessant kidnappings on the external relations: A case study of Nigeria

Liberal Arts and Social Sciences International Journal (LASSIJ)

Nigeria is a West African country, endowed with a rapidly growing population of over 206 million, with over 500 languages and 250 ethnic groups. It's Africa's most densely populated country and the world's largest black nation. The integration of these complex entities into a unified body has proved difficult since the country's 1914 amalgamation. The government is challenged with violence and military dictatorships, endemic corruption, and abject poverty that intensifies heinous crimes, including kidnapping. The menacing impact of the phenomenon ravaged throughout the country resulted in many lives lost, and cripple the economy. Even though it's enshrined in the Nigerian 1999 Constitution, chapter 2, section 14(2b), that the protection of lives and property is the state's core responsibility. The study aims to uncover the effects of kidnapping on Nigeria's foreign relations. The study adopted a qualitative method, using secondary sources and world-system...

Toward querying the national peril of kidnapping in Nigeria

Insights into regional development, 2022

In Nigeria, the dynamics of kidnapping is framed in complexities. There are different types of kidnapping going on within the country ranging from resource-based kidnapping to political kidnapping and terrorist-based kidnapping (Agbaje, 2020; Onduku, 2011). While some are based on agitations for political and economic recognition, others are based on the need for compulsory recruitment by insurgents and terrorists. Existing gaps in the literature are demanding urgent attention from researchers and policymakers. This paper focuses on the need to look into the recent sporadic kidnappings in contemporary Nigeria to project sustainable solutions for them. This paper relies solely on secondary sources of data for its analysis. The paper concludes that a viable solution to the kidnapping problem in Nigeria depends mainly on full recognition of all forms of kidnapping in the country while strategically addressing them.

The Social Problem of Kidnapping and its Implications on the Socio-Economic Development of Nigeria: A Study of Uyo Metropolis

Abstract The main thrust of this study was to investigate the problem of kidnapping and its consequences on Nigerians in general and Uyo dwellers in particular. To achieve this objective, the study elicited data through questionnaire from 260 randomly selected respondents comprising of policemen/women from various departments at the state police headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo, in Akwa Ibom State, lawyers from the state judiciary headquarters as well as clergymen and members of the public in the aforementioned study area. Chi-square analytical tool was used to analyze elicited data at 0.05 level of significance. The result from the test of hypothesis one shows that there is a significant relationship between the recurring rates of kidnapping and the people’s culture. Test of hypothesis two shows that there is no correlation between kidnapping and the disposition of government. Test of hypothesis three shows that kidnapping is significantly dependent on the provisions of the Nigerian constitution; while result from hypothesis four shows that there is no significant relationship between kidnapping and political activities. Findings from the study shows that, the prevalence of kidnapping in Nigeria is as a result of laxity in the law implementation process to prosecute offenders. Consequent upon this findings it is suggested that the issue of ransom payment by victim’s families/relatives to kidnappers should be seriously condemned. Government also should endeavour to create employment for the teaming population of youths as this will assist to check the proliferation of the kidnapping. Keywords: Kidnapping, social problem, socio-economic development, Uyo metropolis

Trajectories, Typology and Implications of Kidnapping in Nigeria

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT, SOCIAL SCIENCES, PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES, 2020

Kidnapping is one of the major security challenges facing Nigerians in recent time. Though it is not entirely a new phenomenon, yet, like a wild fire, it has continued to grow and assume horrendous dimensions. Some decades ago, kidnapping in Nigeria used to be regarded as a thing peculiar to some specific parts of the country, particularly the Niger Delta region which made news headlines due to the activities of the militants. However, today hardly there is a part of the country that is not faced with the threat of kidnapping thereby making it one of the most pervasive organised crimes in Nigeria. This is evident in series of kidnapping cases being reported which transcend social and spatial barriers across the country. Thus, relying on secondary sources of data, this study interrogated the existing literature to examine the trajectories, typology and implications of kidnapping on national development. The Queer Ladder Theory was adopted as theoretical framework for the study. Findings in the literature indicated harsh socioeconomic conditions occasioned by poor governance which breeds frustration, depression and aggression as some of the drivers of kidnapping. Based on the findings of the study, therefore, the study recommended creation of jobs by the three tiers of government, particularly at local government level which is closer to the people as a panacea to the menace of kidnapping in Nigeria.

Kidnapping: an emerged industry in Nigeria; security and economic implication in the Niger Delta

The paper examined kidnapping as a vice in the Nigerian society has emerged as a lucrative focus. The paper used the secondary source of data and adopts the historical approach in its analysis. The analysis shows among other things that the rising poverty, bad governance, unemployment, compensation by oil companies (multinational) to host communities and government wrong policies to the plight of the people are the major factors that have lead to the rising activities of kidnapping that has emerged as industry and this is a threat to the security of the nation and has affected the nation's economy. On the basis of the findings of this paper, we suggest that government at all levels should put in place reforms that will reduce poverty and unemployment in the country to strengthen the security of the nation.

Kidnapping and Rise of Insecurity in Nigeria: A Case of Kaduna State

Asian journal of multidisciplinary studies, 2018

In recent years, Kaduna state is experiencing an upsurge of kidnapping activities for ransom. The frequent occurrences of this new insecurity in the last few years of 2016 and 2017, has put the country and Kaduna state in danger, and have become a source of worried and concern with tenths of people from different socio-economic category are being kidnapped for ransom on daily bases. The study is to critically look at this growing criminal act, possible motives and to streamline the complexities in its control. Motives such as economic hardship, political and moral decay have led to its upsurge. Hence, proactive economic and political policies and programs are measures to address the situation.

Kidnapping and National Security in Nigeria

This paper examines the phenomenon of kidnapping in Nigeria with a view to underscore its implications for national security. This is against the backdrop of the rising incidence and prevalence of the crime in contemporary Nigeria. By way of qualitative analysis, predicated on secondary sources, the paper posits that kidnapping has been motivated and sustained by criminal quest for material accumulation. The paper adds that the situation has been compounded by the growing trend of criminal impunity in Nigeria wherefore the government's capacity to sanction and deter crime is abysmal. The paper observes that kidnapping portends dangerously for Nigeria's national security in view of its untoward impacts and implications. The paper submits that crimes like kidnapping would continue to prevail in Nigeria until pragmatic measures are taken to deter their occurrence as well as penalize their commission.