KIDNAPPING

A CASE STUDY OF ABIA STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Background to the Study

The failure of governance at every level of administration coupled

with other factors has been perceived as the possible cause(s) of

kidnapping especially in third world countries.

In Nigeria (Abia State) kidnapping has assumed an alarming

dimension which has received wide spread condemnations from

well meaning people of Nigeria and even the international

community. In Abia State, kidnapping have had some negative

implications on the youth and the women which has become

imperative for this project to address in order to drastically reduce

the effect of this menace.

This project is expected to discuss the possible causes of

kidnapping, implications and the practical solutions for the

betterment of the society.

 However, many reasons have been adduced by various

scholars/commentators for the rise in the cases of kidnapping in

Nigeria. (Abia State) while some attributed it to the failure of

governments at all levels, others associated it to poor moral

upbringing of children.

1.2   Statement of the Problem

The phenomenon of kidnapping has assumed an alarming

dimension leading to loss of lives, properties, money and has had

some negative implications on the society especially on the women

and children. If this trend continues unabated, the negative effect

which includes high rate of delinquency will certainly encourage

the morally upright to be involved in this demonic trade. In Nigeria

such that it has attracted widespread condemnation by both

Nigerians and the international community. Kidnapping hitherto

known only in the Niger Delta, is now a national occurrence. If this

trend continues unabated, it will have far reaching consequences

on mostly the women and the youth.   

The high rate of kidnapping coupled with the breakdown of law

and order, militancy, insecurity and most times the loss of lives

and properties is a cause for concern for the contemporary

 Nigerian society. The extent of social disorder experienced in Abia

State have reach an alarming position making it necessary for both

the government and all well meaning people to be involved in the

process of restoring a peaceful society where law and order reigns.

There is therefore the obvious need for this research to trace the

genesis of this monster, causes, implication as well as proffer

possible solutions, as no serious authority can fold it’s arms and

allow it to continue.

1.3   Purpose of the Study

The objectives of this study are:

1. To identify the factors that causes kidnapping in Abia State.

2. To ascertain the implications of kidnapping on the children and

women in Abia State.

3. To examine and proffer possible solutions to the menace of

kidnapping in Abia State.

1.4   Research Methodology

This research adopted the tripartite approach for data collection

and analysis. We relied on secondary sources of information

 gathering which include books, journals, magazines, dailies,

projects, thesis etc.

We complimented this with the use of oral interviews as we

interviewed some Abians and non-indigenes who were either

victim of kidnapping or conversant with the issues associated with

kidnapping. This enabled us ascertain the factors that ensured a

peaceful environment and those that have eventually led to the

near breakdown of law and order.

1.5   Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is analyzing the implications of kidnapping

on the women and the youth in Abia State with particular

reference to Aba town, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State,

south-East Nigeria.

1.6   Limitation of the Study

This research posed some challenges especially in data collection.

It was a Herculean task getting some books, journals and other

published and unpublished works for this research. It was also

difficult interviewing people who were victims of kidnapping since

 they feared that such information could endanger their lives. The

constant visits to Aba for this research also posed a serious

challenge due to the frequent cases of armed robbery, kidnapping

and the cost of transportation. We also encountered the problem

of interviewing the non-literates who find it difficult to understand

certain aspects of this menace. In any case, we made frantic effort

and got some books, journals and dailies for this research. We

equally interviewed those who volunteered information and some

were equally induced with financial gratification.

1.7   Significance of the study

This project will contribute in no small measure in understanding

the factors that gave rise to kidnapping and other deviant

behaviours especially in Abia State.

This work will also help in understanding the implications of

kidnapping on the women and youth in Abia State.

This research is also important in trying to proffer solution to the

government, religious bodies and the citizenry on how to curb the

menace of kidnapping not only in Abia State but the Nigerian

nation as a whole. Findings of this research will help these bodies

to put in measures that will ensure a harmonious and peaceful

society.

Finally, findings of this research will serve to stimulate further

researches on this and related topics.       

 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1   Meaning and Types of Kidnapping

The phenomenon of kidnapping has taken an alarming dimension

in Nigeria, such that it has become a big business. It therefore

becomes necessary to look at the meaning at the meaning of

kidnapping, identify some scholarly definitions and possible types

or forms of kidnapping.

The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 6 th edition defines

kidnapping as the act of taking somebody away illegally and

keeping them as a prisoner, especially in order to get money or

something else for returning them.

Hakeem Jamiu (Media wikipedia) defines the term thus: It refers

to forceful abduction of a human being with the intention to hold

them for ransom, or seize them away for the motive of

harassment (physically or mentally or sexually), taking them

hostage and various other motives. It is done by the way of taking

the kidnapped person to a place where they are unlikely to be

found and is unlikely to be released till abductors demands are

satisfied.
In a related development, Ukwu Elems, a US trained lawyer in a

paper presented as part of the end of year programme of the

league of friends of Akwa-Ibom State in Port Harcourt saw

kidnapping as the unlawful act of capturing and carrying away

persons against their will and holding them in false imprisonment.

Kidnapping has become a second criminal problem in Nigeria

especially in the south-south and south-east geo-political regions

of this country.

In criminal law however, kidnapping is the taking away or

transportation of a person against the person’s will, usually to hold

the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal

authority. This may be done for ransom or in furtherance of

another crime, or in connection with a child’s custody dispute.

In modern usage, kidnapping or abduction of a child is often called

child stealing or parental kidnapping particularly when done not to

collect a ransom but rather with the intention of keeping the child

permanently.
Kidnapping in which ever form has become a common occurrence

in various parts of the world today and certain cities and countries

are often described as the kidnapping capital of the world.

Although, statistics are harder to come by, reports suggest that

Nigeria has the highest rate of kidnapping cases especially since

the wake of the agitation by the people of the rich oil Niger Delta

region.

Kidnapping of people in the Niger Delta, is now a daily occurrence

especially that which involves expatriates, women and children and

has been identified as a source of restiveness and the eventual

breakdown of law and order. Kidnapping of expatriates in the

Niger Delta is one of the major weapons employed by the various

ethnic militias operating in the area. It’s extension to children of

prominent citizens in the area has however cost the habitants the

sympathy of Nigerian as it is now obvious that the Niger Delta

struggle has been bastardized.

The spread of kidnapping to other parts of the country is believed

to be a fall out of the military confrontation between the militants

and the federal government. The militants who were dislodged

from the Niger Delta bases like Gbaramatu kingdom etc; were
forced to relocate to other areas where they have continued their

trade of kidnapping as a means of survival.

The other probable groups of kidnappers are those who, though

not militants, believe that kidnapping pays with minimum risk of

being caught. This second group follows the general trend of

Nigerians who like to go into any business that they consider

lucrative at the moment, not minding if such would endure or not.

The signs are ominous; as we are approaching a situation where

wives who would went to fleece their husbands of their hard-

earned money could organize their own kidnapping and share the

loot with the kidnappers. Husbands may also do so if their wives

are rich. Wayward children could also do this to their rich dads.

Employees may do it to get money from their companies.

Politicians may also do it to raise money. The reason for this is

simply that the chances of apprehending kidnappers by the law

enforcement officers are very remote, so it encourages the trade.

In any case, it is still part of the symptoms of a failed state.   

It is important to mention the fact that contemporary social vices

called kidnapping, militancy and hostage taking had their roots in

the Bible which has affected the whole human race. In the book of
 Genesis, we read of Cain and Abel, the two brothers. The action of

the younger brother, Abel and the acceptance of God attracted the

anger of the elder brother. The anodyne action of Cain killing his

younger brother brought about the curse of the Almighty God who

declared in Gen 4:11 – 13:…and now, thou art curse from the

earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood

from thy hand, when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth

yield unto thee the strength; a fugitive and vagabond shall thou be

on earth.

2.2   Scholarly views about Kidnapping and Crime 

Over the years, a number of scholars (anthropologist sociologists,

religionist and philosophers) have commented on the issue of

kidnapping and the crime problem generally leading to theories to

ascertain the possible causes of kidnapping and crime. Iwarimie-

Jaja (2010:133) summed it up when he said that Most of such

theories have focused attention on anti-social behaviour or

deviance which is a broad conceptual framework for understanding

and explaining delinquency and criminality.

For the purpose of clarity and to enable us adopt a theoretical

framework for a better review of literature crime and deviance,

two major theories which fall under the structural-functional

theory shall be discussed.

Functionalism: The functionalist perspective tends to argue that

the crime problem in Nigeria emanates from the social imbalance

especially on the line of the two major classes of people. Because

of the pressure on certain people to meet up the challenges of

satisfying their economic needs, it is the view of this theory that

such persons are likely to commit crime of different types. The

argument of this theory is that there is a moral question and the

disregard to the core values of integrity, love and respect for the

rule of law.

Marxism: This theory contends that the problem of crime in

Nigeria is linked to the problem of the existence to the intensity of

class conflict and contradictions in the economic order, mainly due

to the depressive, oppressive and dehumanizing effects. Hence,

the increase in capitalist behaviour for the aim of profit

maximization and unequal economic and social status is

responsible for the continuous rise in crime rate in Nigeria which

seems to have defiled all government efforts at addressing the

crime problem.

The Marxists also believe that the crime problem could be linked to

the economic gap between “the haves” and “the haves not”,

causing the inordinate desire for the lower people to try to rise to

the next economic level through any available obnoxious way.

Accordingly, the Marxists contend that the Nigerian scenario where

people who occupy government offices loot government treasuries

for their personal aggrandizement leaving the rest of Nigerians

impoverished and without any of the basic amenities-shelter, food

and clothing, which this school of thought concerned was a major

factor that has lead many Nigerians to crime. Having looked at

these theories which fall under the structural-theoretical

framework, it is the view of this research to align with the Marxists

view that states that the increased measure of capitalist behaviour

especially unequal economic or social relations is responsible for

the unabated nature of Nigeria’s crime-problem. It could be said to

be true that factors such as greed, marginal and outright

unemployment, abject and relative poverty, high inflation rates,

disorganized homes and insecurity to life and property are the

basic crime problem in Nigeria. It is from this stand point that this

research will be discussing the crime of kidnapping and other

deviance behaviour in our country. Understanding this theory

accordingly will help us achieve the task of proffering solutions to

the problem of kidnapping not only in Abia state but the whole of

Nigeria.   

Even the recent upsurge in the activities of the Boko Haram is not

unconnected with what the northerners perceived as

marginalization of their region and also a reaction to the level of

poverty, deprivation occasioned by the near collapsed of the

president Goodluck led government of Nigeria. 

Sociologists have also adopted other strategies at explaining crime

and deviance behaviour. For a school of thought, criminals or

those involve in crime already have an innate tendency for crime

or better still inborn. Others share the view that delinquent or

criminal behaviour emanate from the physical nature of the

offenders themselves and concluded that the human genetic and

environmental factor as schools, homes, peer groups could

produce anti-social behaviour. There is also another school of

thought which opined that crime can best be associated with

 mental disorder or malfunctioning of the brain, leading to the

thought of evil and thereby community crime. This could be

referred to as psychosis. Furthermore, there is also another

thought which is the socio-genetic or sociological theory which

advocated that the society has a like to crime.

This theory as submitted by Iwarimie-Jaja (2010:174) states: That

the sociological perspective exposes the situation or social context

in which delinquency and crime takes place. The central thrust of

this theory is that attention is focused on the relationship between

a person’s socio-economic condition and the possibility that the

person would commit either crime or delinquency.

 

Having looked at these theories, it is not enough to conclude that

all these are relevant to the Nigerian (Abia State) scenario in

explaining kidnapping and crime. However, it has been established

in many fora that poverty, frustration, unemployment and

disorganized families are not the only reasons why people commit

crime like theft, burglary, fraud, murder or armed robbery.

Iwarimie-Jaja (2010:193) had opined: Infact, though these hold,

the major cause of criminal acts is the association of the

 adolescent, or adult, with persons who have a need that is not

different from those of his peers, but the desire to satisfy, this

need does not explain why he should engage in delinquent act, or

why at an adult age, he may commit crime.

This simply alludes to the fact that kidnapping which as a crime

could have come into existence as a result of many factors such as

bad governance/corruption, unemployment, lack of development,

structural deficiency of the Nigerian federalism, environmental

damage, human rights violations etc.

The wiktionary, the free dictionary listed the following as the

possible types of kidnapping.

i)      Bride Kidnapping: This is a term often applied loosely, to

include any bride “abducted” against the will of her parents, even

if she is willing to marry the “abductor”. It still is traditional among

certain nomadic peoples of central Asia. It has been a resurgence

in kyrgyztan, since the fall of Soviet Union and the subsequent

erosion of women rights.

ii)     Child Kidnapping: This happens to be one of our cardinal

focus and has to do with the abduction or kidnapping of a child (or

 baby) by an older person mainly for ransom, to settle political

scores and a means of undoing one another. This is the current

trend in the south-east where children (youth) of prominent

businessmen and politicians have been victims.

iii)    Express Kidnapping: This is a situation in which the

kidnappers demand a certain ransom where the families, company

or government can pay. This type originated from Latin America,

where a small ransom, that a family or company can easily pay.

This perhaps is the trend in Abia State where it is revealed by John

Owechi (oral interview 04/07/2011) whose colleague’s son was

kidnap for the sum of N100,000 naira only.   

iv)    Tiger Kidnapping: This is the taking of a hostage to make

a loved one or associate of the victim do something for instance, a

child is taking hostage to force the shop keeper to open the safe.

The term originates from the usually long preceding observation

like a tiger does on the prowl.

2.3   Cases of Kidnapping in Nigeria    

i)      Kidnapping of Four Foreign Workers Including Two

Britons: As reported in the Nation Newspaper of 14 th February,

2006.
This case of kidnapping took place in a night club in Port Harcourt

good fell as bar at about 10pm along the GRA axis of Port

Harcourt.

The report has it that this was the fifth case of kidnapping in the

oil rich Niger Delta of Nigeria. As in most cases, hostages are

believed to have been released unharmed, usually after a financial

deal is struck but analysts say the ransom payments fuel the

violence. The report further stated that these expatriates were

taken away through the water ways to an unknown destination.

Many reasons have been adduced for this upsurge in kidnapping

but Wilson Minin (oral interview 04/06/2011) opined that the Delta

is awash with weapons, unemployment is high and communities

feel aggrieved at the lack of development. The four expatriates

were later freed (7 days after) and handed over to Nigeria

Liquidified Natural Gas (NLNG) in Bonny through the Philippine and

British embassies respectively.

ii)     Kidnapping of five South Koreans in Port Harcourt on

the 7th of June, 2006 (www.news.com.an/heradsun/story)

According to the report, a militant group in Nigeria’s oil-producing

Niger Delta claimed responsibility for kidnapping five South

Koreans during an attack on a gas plant operated by Royal Dutch

shell. The movement for the emancipation of Niger Delta (mend)

claimed that the region has been impoverished and

underdeveloped by the federal government. According to this

source, these South Koreans were released unharmed but not

without emotional trauma due to the dehumanizing experience of

these expatriates. They were release 6 days later unharmed.

iii)    Kidnapping of a three-year old British girl in Nigeria.

July 6, 2007 in Aba, Abia State. This kidnapping case occurred on

the above date while the girl was traveling to school by car to Port

Harcourt, along the Aba-Port Harcourt express way. Margaret Hill,

daughter of oil worker Mike Hill was snatched by unknown gun

men who demanded ransom. It was not clear whether any ransom

was paid at the time of this report. This particular case triggered a

frantic diplomatic activity to obtain her release. The report also has

it that she was unharmed at the time of her release.

iv) Kidnapping of pa.Chinedu the Father of a Senior

Accountant of Abia State on the 7th of October 2008,

reported in the daily sun of 8th October, 2010.

According the sun report, the man was kidnapped in his home

town by some unknown gunmen who demanded N20 million. The

report continued that this elderly man was held hostage for over
 two weeks and eventually died in the custody of the kidnappers

who dropped the corpse at the at a Bridge. It was indeed a sad

news as it was the first case of the death of a victim in the custody

of the kidnappers in Abia State.

 
 CHAPTER THREE

THE CRIME OF KIDNAPPING IN ABIA STATE

3.1   Origin of Kidnapping in Abia State

It is difficult to determine exactly when kidnapping started in Abia

State without taking a holistic view of it’s origin in the whole of the

Niger Delta.

Abia State has been under the siege of kidnappers who have in

the last few years made life unbearable for the residents especially

the wealthy and foreign nationals.

The illicit trade, which began in the troubled oil rich Niger Delta

started in the year 2006 in Bayelsa State south-south geographical

zone. It was first experienced in the south east zone at the

industrial town of Nnewi, Anambra State, where two Chinese

nationals attached to a private auto manufacturing firm were

taken hostage on March, 17, 2007. (Daily Champion 2 nd June,

2008). The report hinted that one of the victims was released after

the payment of ransom while the other was missing till date and

he is believed to have been killed by his abductors.

The first reported case of kidnapping took place on September 27,

2008 at Aba involving the kidnap of 15 school children who were

 later released perhaps after the payment of ransom (Daily

champion 02/06/2009). Since then, there have been cases of

kidnapping involving women, children, the wealthy and foreigners.

Different authorities and individuals have adduced various reasons

for the high rate of kidnapping and crime in the area.

Iwarime-Jaja (2010:158) simply asserted that: Infact, it is the

harsh conditions experienced by people that motivate them to

seek for extra-legal ways to come out of their deplorable state of

survival. This explains why there is a chronic and recalcitrant crime

situation that has a systematic occurrence and characterized as

dangerous.

Oloruntimehin (1984) seems to agree with the above assertion

when he wrote that: Nigeria is besieged with normlessness. The

country has replaced dignity and honor with disrespect and

dishonor as a standard of behaviour. There is an overt display of

immorality and power, violence and ill gotten money.

The fact is that, there is societal decadence. Nigeria has

unwittingly provided the conducive and enabling environment for

 all sorts of crime which has engendered it’s crime-problem

(Iwarimie-Jaja 2010:159).

Today, Aba the commercial nerve centre of Abia State is a state of

abject lawlessness, prompting residents to flee the town in droves,

while schools, banks, markets and business premises have been

shut down. No wonder president Goodluck Jonathan promptly

ordered the inspector general of police Hafiz Ringim and heads of

other security agencies to “take necessary steps to restore peace

and order in Abia State.

3.2   Types/Strategies of Kidnapping in Abia State

Some of the types of kidnapping in Abia State could be

summarized under the following sub-headings.

i)      Kidnapping from Bushes: This is the type of kidnapping

where the victims are normally abducted along the road leading to

either a village or town and kept in the bush. This is the most used

method as the bush provides a safe haven for the kidnappers who

also perfect their mission in the bush. The victims could be any

body depending on the target of the kidnappers. For instance, the

kidnap of 15 pupils along the Aba-Port Harcourt expressway by

one of the notorious kidnappers Osisikana and taken to unknown

destination. The hoodlums where later apprehended and their

captives released. (Daily Guardian 02/06/2008).

ii)     Kidnapping in the Sea: This happens when the victims are

kidnapped in the sea while traveling in the Nigerian waterways.

The victims were mostly taken to the bush for ransom. An

example of this kind of kidnapping was one that took place at the

Bonny Sea on the 14th of April 2009 at about 7:30pm involving a

staff of NLNG. There were cases were the kidnappers board the

boat of travelers in order to perfect their heinous crime.

iii)    Kidnapping from the Church: Sometimes, the kidnappers

resort to the kidnapping of Church members especially the wealthy

ones for the purpose of ransom. The kidnappers either pretend to

be worshippers or hang around the Church premises to perpetrate

their plan. In most cases, the victims are mostly children and

women of wealthy Church members or the clergy perceived to be

very rich (Guardian 02/06/2008).

iv)    Kidnapping from Houses: This is the most widely used

method of kidnapping of victims from their houses or offices and

taken to unknown destinations. The Sun Newspaper of 14 th

February, 2010 reported the kidnapping of a medical Doctor

Sunday Uche along the Ugwuati and Ogwe area of Ukwa-West

 Local Government Area of Abia State. He was allegedly killed after

his abductors had collected N20 million ransoms from his relatives.

The police according to that report fingered the Movement for the

Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra.

3.3   Government and Community Response to Kidnapping

Government at all levels and the various communities in the area

had made frantic efforts at eradicating the scourge of kidnapping.

The government of Abia State led by Theodore Orji had intensified

efforts through the instrumentality of local vigilante groups and

the law enforcement agencies. We shall briefly look at the various

ways the government and the communities of Abia State had

responded to this menace.

1)     The Use of Government Security Agents

The Abia State Governor had intensified efforts at eradicating the

scourge of kidnapping. They go by various names like operation

sweeps, operation wipe and anti-kidnapping squad. They go by

various names like operation sweeps operation wipe and anti-

kidnapping squad. The police in Abia State have however taken up

the gauntlet and recorded successes by bursting three major

 kidnap cases involving children and the women in Aba, Abia State.

It is also on record that the police in Abia State paraded 32

pregnant inmates mostly teenagers arrested when they invaded

clinic (Baby factory) known as the cross foundation. The Osisikama

kidnappers were also arrested and crushed by a joint military

taskforce. The police also foiled various attempts at kidnapping

different people in Abia State.

2)     The use of Vigilantee Groups

The communities on their part have also resorted to the use of

local vigilante for the purpose of curbing kidnapping. The various

communities of Abia State had instituted different groups to curb

the menace. For instance, the popular Bakassi boys in Aba have

assisted the government to eradicate kidnapping.

3)     Media Sensitization

The government has also intensified efforts at the sensitization of

the populace on the need to be watchful or the look out for

kidnappers. This has assisted the people to be careful on how they

travel especially at odd times. The media has a great task in this

regard. It is important to continue sensitizing the people on the

 need to allow decency in governance and citizen’s responsibilities.

The media also has a duty to investigate cases of kidnapping and

other vices that are ingenious to the economic growth of the state.

4)     Resort to Prayers

It is also of on record that the wife of the Governor of Abia State

has on severed occasions called for prayer sessions to seek the

face of God. The people on their part must compliment

government’s action by ensuring accountability on the part of the

state government who are the custodians of the revenue accruable

to the states. The time to indulge in corruption by any State

Governors under any guise should be over.

3.4   Effect of Kidnapping in Abia State

Kidnapping has had and still has some effect in Abia state.

i)      Kidnapping as a Source of Unemployment

At the wake of kidnapping especially when it concerns the

kidnapping of foreign expatriates when the governments at the

state and federal levels are calling for investors has affected Abia

state negatively. Some companies have either folded or relocated

to other parts of this country or outside the shores of Nigeria

leading to unemployment occasional by loss of jobs. A social

commentator Uche Onye once asked.

How will any reasonable investor come and invest in a country

where several other international companies are winding up?

(Punch 8th August, 2010).   

The resultant effect is that more people are lured into crime as the

saying goes; an idle mind is the devils workshop.

ii)     Battered the Image of Abia State

Also of great concern is the negative picture the menace has

created of the Nigerian society at international level. This has

affected virtually all aspects of life of the people especially the

tourism industry is adversely affected. The revenue expected from

the tourism sector could not be realized in the midst of insecure

environment. Most foreign governments on monthly basis post

travel warnings on their websites, warning their citizens against

traveling to the Niger Delta region, Abia State inclusive, owing to

the growing insecurity in the region.

iii)    Loss of Revenue to the State Government

The menace of kidnapping has affected the revenue generation of

Abia State. Some of the revenue accruable from the

companies/businesses in Abia State has continued to diminish

drastically. Government continues to spend huge sums of money

to provide security making other sectors of the economy to suffer.

The Abia State government is reported to have decried the loss of

billions of naira to the fight against kidnapping and the reduction

of the presence of companies in Abia State. In the midst of these,

the Abia State economy is the ultimate victim.

iv)    General Insecurity

 There is general sense of insecurity leading to loss of lives and

properties. The result is that many youth are now interested in the

kidnapping business. The urge to be part of the money-spinning

racket thus emboldened many desperate youths to defy the risk

and embrace kidnapping as a pastime. Funny enough, kidnapping

which could be likened to glorified armed robbery, has today

graduated from fighting for the right of the region to include all

forms of criminalities including killing and maiming.

This according to Iwarimie-Jaja (2010:172) lamented the security

implications of kidnapping when he wrote:

Enforcers of law (the police, the immigration services, drug law

enforcement agency, customs, and state security services) in attempt to

reduce Nigeria’s crime-problem, have arrested children, young persons

and adults, public-office holders and non-public office holders but their

efforts have not stopped Nigeria’s crime problem from increasing

astronomically.

Furthermore, the continuous confrontation between the military and the

kidnappers has far reaching security implications on the people and

residents of Abia State.

 
 CHAPTER FOUR

WOMEN AND CHILDREN KIDNAPPING IN ABIA STATE

4.1   Children Kidnapping

        Kidnapping which started in the Niger Delta had as it’s target the

foreign expatriates either as agitation for the control of the resources of

the region and later for ransom. In Abia State, it degenerated to the

issue of kidnapping women and children for reasons ranging from

ransom taking to strategy to weaken political opponents. According to

Ogechi Chinedu (oral information, 08/07/2011) the vicious syndicates

which have various detention camps in different states of the region

kidnap human beings principally to extract ransom from the helpless

relatives. Sometimes, they rake in millions of naira from their wealthy

victims and hundreds of thousands from the middle class.

        The kidnapping of 15 school children in Aba, Abia State on the 27 th

September, 2007 one of the reported cases of kidnapping in Abia State

(Daily Sun 8th October, 2008). The paper further reported that these

children were held hostage for 5 days and eventually released on the

eve of the independence day. The incident once again alerted Nigerians,

and particularly the people of Abia State, to the brutality of prowling

kidnappers.
        There was another case of kidnapping of 20 pupils of Abayi

International School, Osisioma in Aba. They were taken them to

unknown destination. While demanding a N20 million ransom, the

hoodlums later abandoned the kids following a military operation

mounted to rescue them. As, the 20 pupils were released, another six

students of the Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene Akwa-Ibom

State, were kidnapped in Abia State (Daily Sun 8th October, 2011).

4.2   Women Kidnapping

The Daily Champion of 2nd June, 2011 reported the kidnap of the wife of

a Bishop of the Anglican Communion along the Aba – Port – Harcourt

express way demanding a ransom of N15m. The Abia State police

command on the 7th of July 2010 announced the arrest of Dr. Hyacinth

Orikara accused of allegedly harboring pregnant women until they are

delivered of their babies with a settlement of between N30,000 and

N25,000. These babies were alleged to have been used for commercial

purposes. It was reported that the act continued until the Abia State

police command acting on a tip off stormed that hospital, made some

arrest while Dr. Hycient was charged to court and imprisoned. Today,

the target of the kidnappers is mainly women and children, especially

those of the wealthy and influential in the society. The United Nation’s
children’s fund called the incidents of women and children kidnapping a

“craven kidnap”. UNICEF declared that “under no circumstances should

children be the target of violence, and kidnapping children for financial

gain is simply heinous”. (universal declaration of human rights,  article

3,4 and 5). The kidnappers often leave in their trail blood, tears and

anguish.   

4.3   Implications of Women and Children Kidnapping in Abia

State

        Kidnapping women and children could have certain implications

socially, economically, culturally and religiously too. For the purpose of

this research, we shall limit ourselves to the religious and cultural

implications of women and children kidnapping in Abia State.

4.3.1        Religious Implications

        The incessant cases of kidnapping of both women and children

have affected the worship of God (church activities) negatively due to

the fear of children and women to be kidnapped.

Ugochukwu Asiegbu (oral information 07/07/2011) hinted why the

people are always afraid of being kidnapped:

Not all those that were kidnapped were lucky enough to leave the

kidnappers den alive. Some of them actually died either in the process

of resistance or as a result of the trauma they went through. 

There was a report on the Thisday Newspaper of (11 th January, 2009)

on an attempt by a group of armed men to kidnap a pastor of The

Redeemed Christian Church of God within Aba Metropolis. The effect

according to the report was not only the death of some persons (Church

members) who attempted to prevent the supposed kidnappers but a

decline in the number of members for fear of another attack. There was

even suspicion among members who felt that some of their “members”

were informants to the kidnappers.

        Religiously too, money that could have been used to support the

work of God was diverted to the payment of ransom to the kidnappers.

Some Christians hide under the guise of being identified by the

kidnappers to withhold their financial support for the church in Abia

State.

For John Umegwali (Oral Information 07/07/2011) who was kidnapped

and released after about six days had this to say:

When the kidnappers dropped me around 11pm, the question that

comes to my mind was whether God existed at all or whether God hast

not seen anything good in my relationship with him.

4.3.2        Cultural Implications

        There are negative cultural implications of women and children

kidnapping. In the first place, kidnapping of children and other

categories of people is a source of the violation of human rights

guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In

most cases of kidnapping, the right of association, freedom of

movement and the right to life are normally violated. It is a crime

against humanity and the rights of persons and nations as guaranteed

by the universal declaration of human rights especially articles 3, 4, 5 as

indicated herein. Article 3- every one has the right to life, liberty and

security of person. Article 4- no one shall be held in slavery or servitude;

slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. Article 5

– no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading

treatment or punishment.  The African charter on human and peoples

rights adopted June, 27, 1981 and entered into force October 21, 1986

also domesticated the principles and articles of the universal declaration

of human rights to the effect that every person is entitled to freedom of

movement, respect for his life, protection, and the right to liberty and

security of his person.

        Kidnapping, no doubt negates all these rights as person are

captured, detained against their wish, tortured and sometimes

murdered.

        Secondly, kidnapping is a threat to the survival of the society or

the governments as people are innocently embarrassed on daily basis.

This according to Uzoma Nosike (oral information 08/07/2011) causes

tension and disregard to laid down cultural norms of the society. This

leads to increase in crime rate as kidnapping is infectious. This is

because many unemployed graduates will be tempted to take to

kidnapping (crime) for the purpose of making money to cater for their

homes. This could be attributed to the fact that ransoms are paid before

the release of victims. More and more people are tempted to constitute

themselves into nuisance, leading to disobedience of the laws of the

land, embezzlement of public funds and destruction of lives and

properties. Activities of these kidnappers disrupt socio-cultural and

recreational events in the society, especially in Aba and it’s environs.

The daily sun of 12th March, 2010, reported how the Port Harcourt – Aba

express way was behive of activities of these armed bandits who

thrones the road users there causing mayhem.  If this trend is not

check, even cultural activities like masquerades or festival will be

affected. It will be suicidal for any community to engage in any

gathering due to the fear of the unknown. Kidnapping according to

Ogechi Chinedu (oral information 08/07/2011) has also affected the

family institution. He maintained that:

There is the tendency of lives of wealthy persons to stage their

husbands for the purpose of sharing the ransom to be paid and vice

versa.

Children are made to imbibe some form of negative orientations and

seem to believe that kidnapping is lucrative venture that ought to be

embraced. Children were highly traumatized and tend to see a

beclouded future of military, thurgery and killings.

 
 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

5.1   Summary

This project discusses the cultural and religious implications of women

and children kidnapping in Aba-Abia State with emphasis on the need

for the government and the people to rise to the occasion in order to

stop this menace for the benefit of society.

        Chapter one is the introduction of the work with the following sub-

headings -background of the study, Statement of the Problem, Purpose

of the Study, Research Methodology, Scope of the Study, Limitations as

well as Significance of the Study.

        Chapter two is the review of literature with two major sub-heading

meaning and types of kidnapping in Nigeria and certain cases of

kidnapping in Nigeria.

        Chapter three dealt with Abia State and patterns of kidnapping-

types, history of origin, government and community response to

kidnapping, strategies as well as effects of kidnapping in Abia State.

Chapter four dealt with the trend of women and children kidnapping,

religious and cultural implications in Abia State.

        Chapter five is the summary, recommendations and conclusion.

 

5.2   Recommendations

        The need for the eradication of kidnapping and other social vices

cannot be over emphasized. This research recommends the following.

        Government should tackle the problem of unemployment to reduce

the rate at which the youth of today embrace kidnapping as a lucrative

venture.

        Government at all levels should intensify efforts through a joint

police and vigilante patrol to forestall wandering at odd times, thereby

reducing the risk of kidnapping of especially in the night.

        The community members should teach their members especially

the youth morals to discourage their indulgence in atrocious activities

like kidnapping.

        The federal government should intensity the war against

corruption which scholars seem to have agreed is the root of kidnapping

in the country.

        The Niger Delta issues of deprivation, cheating and

underdevelopment should be addressed in order to reduce the rate of

agitation by the people, leading to kidnapping for ransom.

        There is need to apply traditional religious method of identifying

and punishing kidnapper to serve as deterrents to others who could

have resorted to such atrocious deeds.

It is important to mention the fact that people always have a way of

dragging God into every man made problem in this country. The

celebration that heralded the release of most victims is infectious that

even the police have joined the alleluia chorus. What has the

government done to address this menace? Is the police or better still the

joint military task force done to address the situation especially in Aba-

Abia State?

According to Lawrence – Hart 2009: 31:

Africans are religious people, so the aspect of crime detection and other

social vices should not only be handled secularly but religiously too. The

job of crime detection should not be handled by the police alone. The

Dibias, Babalawos, the traditional priest etc. should be called upon to

help out in cases where the police cannot succeed. These traditionalists

have the spiritual abilities to fish out those who are responsible for social

disorder in the society.

 

Lawrence-Hart (2009:31) continued this on the religious dimension of

kidnapping in the Niger Delta region thus:

This is because in traditional African societies, peace is not an abstract

poetic concept, but rather a down-to-earth and practical concept. It is a

religious value in that the order, harmony and equilibrium in the

universe and society is believed to be divinely established and the

obligation to maintain them is religious. It is also a moral value since

good conduct is required of human beings if the order, harmony and

equilibrium are to be maintained.

The above discussed religious implications are application to the other

religions practiced by those residing in Abia State including Islam.

5.3   Conclusion

As earlier stated in the background and part of the literature review

which borders on the factors that necessitated crimes which kidnapping

is not an exception, against the backdrop of popularly held theories that

crime is associated with the gap between the “rich” and the “poor”,

unequal economic conditions, unemployment, poverty etc.

        This study agrees with the Marxist theory that kidnapping is a

reaction to this obvious socio-economic gap due to the obnoxious

attitude of our political leadership in Nigeria. It is also safe to say that

this study also align totally to the views of some scholars/commentators

that the solution to this problem lies in government’s sincerity to

addressing the identified problems of poverty greed, corruption and the

failure of government at the different levels to providing the basic needs

of the society.

The fact that kidnapping is a threat to the survival of the society and

associated with the violation of the rights of the people as entrenched in

the universal declaration of human rights and the African charter on the

people’s rights which guarantees the right to life, dignity of human

person etc.

On the part of the citizens, there is need for re-orientation to the effect

that kidnapping is a crime against society and should be discouraged by

all and sundry to ensure a peaceful, harmonious and crime free

society.  
In any case, the dominant religions in Nigeria-Christianity and Islam

should intensify efforts at propagating the core values of love,

togetherness and unity.

However, the menace of kidnapping has assumed a dangerous

proportion, if not check is capable of balkanizing the entire country. It is

the considered opinion of this research that the root cause of kidnapping

should be addressed by both the government and the community, at

least to ensure a harmonious society devoid of rancour and acrimony.

On the part of the citizens, there is need for re-orientation to the effect

that kidnapping is devilish and that kidnappers are bound to suffer death

penalty when caught.  

 
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Primary Sources

Oral Interview

Names Age Home Date of Place of Status

town interview interview

Jeremiah Uchenna 70 Aba 04/04/2011 Aba Chief

Ugochukwu Asiegbu 62 Aba 18/04/2011 Aba Chief

John Umegwali 72 Aba 19/04/2011 Aba Elder

Ogechi Chinedu 68 Aba 18/04/2011 Aba Elder

Uzoma Nosike 73 Aba 18/04/2011 Aba Elder

Okoro Okoro 80 Aba 10/05/2011 Aba Priest

Johson Amara 44 Aba 04/04/2011 Aba Chief

Okeke Uche 60 Aba 19/04/2011 Aba Elder

Okonkwo Chidi 62 Aba 18/04/2011 Aba Chief

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