Date Published: 11/23/09

The Unity Forum

(Peace, Unity and Progress Association)

Suite 207 APC Plaza Nr. 12 Cape Town Str. Off IBB Way, Zone 4 Wuse, Abuja Tel: 08033063826, 08033584659, 08033041663

Kidnappings and Ritual Killings; A need for a moral rebirth

The Unity Forum at its meeting of Wednesday November 18, 2009 noted with serious concern the alarming rate of kidnappings for extortion, politics or rituals in Nigeria. It became fashionable albeit embarrassing the way and manner criminals in the Niger Delta region abducted foreigners and sometime Nigerians of high networth demanding ransom before their release. Recent trends however have expanded the frontier to politics and rituals far beyond the Delta region to all corners of the country. Penultimate Saturday, in Maitama Abuja, a two year old boy was snatched from the hands of his mother in broad daylight in the glare of the public by unknown motorists. The boy was luckily dumped at the lobby of Transcorp Hilton at the very early hours of the following Tuesday with a tag on his neck bearing the street he was abducted. He was returned to his parents. The Eighty-year-old Ezinne Beatrice Asoanya and her nephew Chinaza Okereke of Arondizuogu Imo state were not as lucky. They were murdered, allegedly for ritual purposes. There are several case too numerous to mention.

It is worrisome the ease with which these criminals seem to be getting away with this heinous and unwholesome act. Ever since then, our streets, homes and offices have become increasingly vulnerable with virtually no where to turn for help. At the moment we all live like prisoners wherever we are. These situations led to the emergence of community based vigilante groups which sooner rather than later became overtaken by politicians who later on use them as thugs against opponents. Over the years this has constituted the greatest menaces to our present state of almost lack of total security. The mysterious disappearance and reappearance of recent, of the father of the leading PDP contender of the 2010 governorship election in Anambra state is a clear signal of things to expect in the run up to 2011. Desperate politicians use them as a tool against their opponents and as a means of intimidating the general public.

Ranging from the unresolved ritual and political killings, growing unemployment, youth restlessness, militancy, wide spread poverty and the general rise in crime rate, no one is secure anywhere in Nigeria. Every government that comes virtually discards ongoing security projects and policies and embarks on new and often bogus ones thereby leaving the nation without a coherent path. The serial failure of these policies as evidenced by the raising poverty, corruption and insecurity has eroded the confidence of people in government. Everyone is left to his or her own devices using every available means to secure himself, his family and his environment. The absurdity of our situation is such that the government appears to have failed in its primary responsibility.

We in the Unity forum have severally drawn the attention of government and have offered advice out of genuine concern about the continued deterioration of security situation in the country which is a clear treat to our survival as a people and a nation. It seems our calls and those of several other well meaning Nigerians has not been heeded by the government. We are further calling on the National Assembly to make laws that will prescribe the severest penalties for perpetrators of these crimes and their accomplices. We are also calling  on the government to wake up to its responsibilities and summon the courage to deal decisively with those caught in the acts of abductions and kidnappings no matter how highly placed. While we appeal to the general public to give maximum cooperation to security agencies and report any suspicious elements to the authorities, we believe that these criminals live in our midst and if we are determined, together we can arrest the situation.

We wish to further advice that we should not indulge these criminals by yielding to their demands at individual, community or government level. If collectively we are resolved and remain steadfast by refusing to negotiate or accede to their demands, we shall succeed.

Alhaji M. M. Abdu (Signed)

Chairman