The question is whether kidnapping has been accepted as a normal way of life in Nigeria. The case of kidnapping has transcended the excuses of inability to find jobs by those involved in this nefarious act. Nigerians have to pause for a minute to deliberate on this issue, and place it on the scale it belongs.
We are a nation that has proclivity for evils. Collectively, we are a sick nation and we are degenerating to the levels of animals of different species. Now, this is not the case of the Igbos, Yorubas. Hausas, Fulanis, Tivs, Kalabaris, Ibibios and the Ijaws. We are a disgrace to the civil societies all over the world. Our behaviors smack of orphans raised by the wolves. Where ever we are, one can spot some Nigerians by decayed behaviors and loudness. Those who are a little bit shaped by some modicum of education, still slip over when exposed to some tempting shuffles of money and lucre.
Nigeria is a country of inertia; pray that a bad thing never starts because even a divine intervention cannot stop it. And we spend our most valuable times in churches and mosques.
Taking a human being by force and asking for ransom was started by the Niger Delta criminals, they are not freedom fighters, because they hurt those areas they claim they are fighting for. That the Northern oligarchy was the primary source of the evils in Niger Delta is another discussion. Coups and counter coups, just to tilt the control and custody of the wealth in the Niger Delta to the Northern privilege class. I know the frustrations of the people of the Niger Delta region, and the Northern total rejection of restructuring. Asymmetry of power and oil blocks.
The originators of kidnapping claimed that they resorted to kidnapping foreign oil workers to get the global attention was a farce. Why they did not stop at that point and it spilled over to kidnapping their brothers and sisters for money is worrisome.
Have you seen that the initial reason given could not hold any water? Kidnapping is a criminal act and Nigeria has not given it the attention it demands judging from the different treatments given to it by the federal and statement chief executives and assembly members.
There is no village where kidnapping is not in action all over the country. Kidnapping is worse than armed robbery, yet these operators of human killers are strolling casually all over the country and nothing serious is being done to put a final stop to it. Perpetrators of kidnapping are masters of armed robbery. Our country has weaned herself off hard work, despite the fact that our irresponsible superintendents of our economy have wickedly induced hostile environment for entrepreneurship and economic growth in Nigeria. Tell me how someone can opt to toil for one thousand naira when all he can do is to just roam about, kills a military personnel and seized the ammunition or buy one, then gather some gangs and kidnap a known fellow to demand one hundred million naira for ransom? Because of our porous security architecture, bribery and greed, the gangs bet on a mathematical probability of 90% success rate.
How can kidnappers demand money and they get it? They will order their victim’s family to drop money somewhere and they would go and pick the money safely. Which country is Nigeria? Civilization comes with some risks and no wonder the modern communication comes with some dangers.
If there were no cell phone, this could not have been possible, hence the cell phone companies should be ordered for security reasons, to map areas so that a caller can be identified where he or she is calling from. Is this possible yes it is, safe for our bribery-and-do-nothing law makers, who will take bribes and block this innovation.
I know there are some decent Nigerians, but hunger has made almost all irresponsible citizens. This kidnappers and armed robbers come from a home. Shaming technics and hanging should follow any caught kidnapper. When caught, take these kidnappers to their villages and let their kinsmen see what they are doing. Their parents should stand by their sides to take group photograph for publication. Before this, every parent should be warned that this awaits any kidnapper and they should warn their wards and wives should warn their husbands.
Sometimes, these kidnappers and armed robbers have godfathers, including some government officials and some military personnel, they should be exposed. These people are posing some dangerous security risks not good for many investors.
Sometimes, hunger is not the cause of evil engagement; it is greed, dysfunctional family system and unmitigated tastes. A small boy in high school wishes to drive Mercedes Benz when he cannot even spell his name. How did we get this far? Our so called leaders cannot escape this mess as they are not role models, but purveyors of all evil master strokes.
Precedent Buhari rode on fighting corruption, economy and security to come to Aso Rock, and I ask, Mr. Precedent, where art thou? Boko Haram is not the major security risk facing our nation at moment, it is kidnapping. Credit to Mr. President for decimating Boko Haram. We have to devise our indigenous ways of fighting corruption and insecurity without listening to the useless voices of Transparency International and other frivolous Human Rights Organizations.
It is scary to take it that kidnapping has come to stay in Nigeria because these kidnapers are gaining upper hand daily in Nigeria. They are helping to ground our economy in conjunction with other evil merchants. Kidnapping and lack of power are the killers of entrepreneurship in Nigeria. We always learn bad things from America, but not the good ones. Good governance. Entrepreneurship. Law and order. Unprecedented infrastructures. Good and functioning educational system.
It is also pertinent to advise here that President Buhari should swallow his pride to call able Nigerians to help with crafting strategic models for getting out of recession in order to build confidence in the minds of the people again.
Please, Mr. Buhari, engage the various pockets of dissidents to know where they are coming from. You should be a father to all and this is not in any way a show of weakness. You are a leader of multi-ethnic groups, and not all will agree with you. The ability to mobilize and motivate all Nigerians for a common cause and goal is the crux of leadership.
Chukwuma Iwuanyanwu is the CEO of Ugovic Business Solutions, LLC, Los Angeles.