Abuja – Newly released public opinion poll results by the NOIPolls, on Tuesday, have revealed that majority of Nigerians cited the level of unemployment and poverty as the two top reasons for the spate of kidnappings in the country.
NOIPolls added that greed was also mentioned by 15 percent of the respondents as another major reason why people choose kidnapping as their source of revenue.
“Additionally, 60 percent stated that kidnapping is very prevalent in Nigeria, and 43 percent said they had heard about some kidnap cases in their locality in the last three months, further buttressing its prevalence.
“Interestingly, a minor 5 percent claimed that there has not been any case or incidence of kidnapping in their neighbourhood.
“To provide a brief insight into the outcomes of the various kidnap cases reported in the country, a large proportion (87 percent) of the respondents, who specified that they know a victim personally, said that the victim was rescued, while 35 percent disclosed that a ransom was paid before the abductors released the victims.
“Also, 16 percent indicated that the kidnappers were only arrested, while 8 percent confirmed that the perpetrators were both arrested and prosecuted,” the survey said.
This, according to NOIPolls, indicates the need for more vigilance and alertness on the parts of individuals, while the security agencies improve on their methods of tackling such cases.
“Our results also show that Nigerians have high expectations for the security agencies in handling kidnap cases as almost 7 in 10 respondents (69 percent) mentioned that they would alert the security agents, if they suspect any kidnapping scene.
“These were some of the key findings from the rate of kidnapping poll conducted in the week of February 6, 2017,” it added.
Kidnapping, in criminal law, is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person’s will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority.
The history of kidnapping in Nigeria started in the Niger Delta region, when the restive youths resorted to kidnapping foreign nationals at work on oil fields.
They did this as a way to retaliate or revenge the unemployment and lack of development in the region.
This led to the creation of the amnesty programme and other youth empowerment initiatives to curb the incidences.
Nonetheless, the practice spread outside the Niger Delta region, and this time, it was for political, ransom or ritual purposes.
“Kidnapping and hostage-taking are often used by armed groups, especially terror inclined groups as tactics to force significant concessions relating to their demands on their primary targets. And this phenomenon is on the increase on daily basis in Nigeria.
“The most prominent kidnapping case in Nigeria, according to Amnesty International, is the abduction of the Chibok girls in Borno State since 2014 by the Boko Haram sect.
“Also according to them, 41 alleged new cases of mass abduction by the Boko Haram sect have been unrecorded by the Nigerian government since 2014.
“Though the Boko Haram sect do not kidnap for the purpose of getting money through ransom, their activities of kidnap has halted economic activities (farming) in the North-East geopolitical zone due to fear of being taken.
“While kidnapping for ransom (commonly reported) is more prominent in the South-East and South-South (Niger Delta), kidnapping for ritual purposes (uncommonly reported) is more prominent in the South-West and North-Central regions, while abduction (mostly unreported) is more prominent in the North-East and North-West region.
“Prominent among the victims of high profile kidnap includes: the father of the popular novelist, Chimamanda Adichie; former Finance Minister, Olu Falae; a Reverend Father John Adeyi; and the princess of Akoko in Ondo State, Toyin Omosowon.
“There are many causes of kidnapping, among them are: unemployment, poverty, religion, political issues, religion, and corruption. The practice can be reduced with more governmental involvement, stakeholder interventions and proper education.
“In view of this background, NOIPolls conducted a snap poll to gauge the opinions and perceptions of Nigerians regarding the rising incidences of kidnapping,” NOIPolls concluded.