Nigerian Kidnappers, Bandits Rake In ₦20 Billion In 500 Attacks (Read This Analysis)

Governments and relations of kidnap victims could have paid over N20billion as ransom in numerous elements of the nation within the final two years, Sunday Telegraph can now reveal. Info gleaned from an Intelligence Monitoring Firm in Nigeria additionally revealed that no a part of the nation was spared by the actions of the criminals.

The corporate tracked over 2000 incidences of kidnap and different violent crimes throughout the nation up to now 5 years.

In accordance with the knowledge, Nigerians have paid out billions to kidnappers and bandits in several areas of the nation. Sunday Telegraph investigations revealed that kidnappers and bandits remodeled N20 billion in 500 assaults they carried out in two years from January 2019 to Might 2020.

That is up from the N9 billion which they made in 9 months between June 2011 and March 2012. A survey by S B Morgan just lately stated households of victims and authorities paid N9 billion. From the North to the South and the East to the West, kidnappers are emboldened day by day to hold out their nefarious actions.

It’s stated that presently, Nigeria has the highest rate of kidnap-forransom cases in addition to Venezuela, Mexico, Yemen, Syria, the Philippines, Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. Specialists attributed this to the involvement of organised violent teams, resembling militants, bandits and Boko Haram insurgents, who use abduction because the oxygen of their insurgency. They interact in single or group abduction as a way of producing funds for his or her actions.

Recall that households of the just lately launched college students of the Greenfield College stated they parted with N280 million to safe the discharge of 14 college students who had been kidnapped together with 9 others on April 14, 2021. As well as, in addition they gave eight bikes had been to the abductors who had demanded for 10 and the sum of N500 million as ransom.

At present households of over 130 college students of an Islamiya Faculty in Tegina, Niger State , are operating from pillar to publish in an effort to elevate the ransom which the abductors of the pupils who’re between the ages of 4 years and 10 years are demanding for.

Initially, they requested for N105 million however the dad and mom stated they had been capable of rake in N11 million, however this solely irked the abductors to extend the ransom to N200 million. President, Southern Kaduna Individuals’s Union (SOKAPU), Jonathan Asake, early within the yr informed a bewildered nation that the members of his neighborhood paid N900 million as ransom to abductors throughout the 12 native authorities areas of their locality. This, he stated, has continued to impoverish them as they’ll now not go their farms. He stated: “Our poor, weak individuals paid over N900m as ransom to criminals in 2020.

This can be a minimal and conservative estimate. These are instances reported to us. There’s a specific level between Kafanchan and Kwoi which got here up just lately and over N60m was paid there in lower than two months.

Our persons are being impoverished daily by kidnapping and abductions.” There are fears that the figures could also be greater than this as there have been extra instances of abduction after then. For example, 65 individuals had been kidnapped on the night time of twenty-two April, 2021 in Adara. Ten of them had been capable of escape.

For this the abductors demanded for a sum of N350 million. Additionally , one time Tremendous Eagles Head Coach Samson Siasia’s mom Madam Magnificence Ogere, who spent 10 weeks within the den of her abductors, regained her freedom after the household parted with N15million. After the discharge of over 300 college students of Authorities Science Secondary Faculty, Kankara, Katsina State, who had been kidnapped on December 11, 2020, the federal and Katsina State governments denied paying ransom.

Nevertheless, college students and abductors concerned in what was dubbed Kankara abduction contradicted the official denials.

Studies had it that Katsina State government paid N30million to secure their launch. Over N200m ransom paid in Ekiti Though, it’s tough to say the precise quantity that has been paid in ransom in Ekiti, however an estimate households of victims of kidnapping which has been on the rise within the state since 2019, have paid, will likely be not lower than N200 million.

In early 2019, two workers of Emure Native Authorities Space, merely recognized as Pastor Onaade, an accountant and Dr. Fasina who headed the Major Well being Care Centre, had been kidnapped. Their abductors demanded the sum of N10 million for every of them from their households. They had been launched one week after.

The Ekiti State Police Public relations officer (PPRO) ASP Sunday Abutu and State Commandant of Amotekun Corps, Brigadier Basic Joe Komolafe (rtd) in separate interviews stated his launch was secured at Obbo Ayegunle, Ekiti Native Authorities Space, Kwara State. Nevertheless, they neither confirmed nor denied that any ransom was paid.

In April 2020, then Commissioner of Info and Values Orientation, Muyiwa Olumiluwa, introduced the discharge of his counterpart within the Ministry of Agriculture, Olabode Folorunso, was launched unharmed after he was kidnapped. Additionally, he didn’t point out that the state government paid the N15 million the abductors of Folorunso demanded, however pressured that authorities would do all doable to “rid the state of felony components.”

A Chinese language and one of many contractors the state authorities engaged to assemble the brand new Ado Ekiti- Iyin – Ekiti highway was additionally kidnapped late final yr. The gunmen killed one of many policemen attached to the contractors, whereas the sufferer was launched 4 days at Ilawe – Ekiti highway after cost of N100m ransom.

Families of victims in Ondo State had been at all times wanting to safe the discharge of their family members every time they had been kidnapped. Sunday Telegraph’s findings revealed that over N14m was paid as ransom between December 2020 and Might this yr.

In January, this yr, a 35-yearold man, Olatunbosun Johnson, was kidnapped inside Uso Group in Owo Native Authorities Space.

After spending one week within the kidnappers’ den, he regained his freedom, however not with out his household parting with the sum of N10 million. Additionally, a pair who had been kidnapped on their approach from Ebonyi bought their freedom after the cost of N2million ransom. The couple, Mr. and Mrs. Gbenga Ibikunle, was kidnapped at Uso alongside Owo- Akure freeway.

Equally, two reverend sisters, Perpetual Idowu Apo and Bukola Roseline Familade alongside their driver Yohanna Zibai, who had been kidnapped at Onipetesi axis of Ondo State alongside Benin-Ore-Lagos expressway, paid N1m to safe their freedom.

The victims had been held hostage for 11 days within the bush, till the ransom was paid to the safe their launch. Oyo State is a sizzling mattress of kidnapping, particularly the Okeho within the northern a part of the state. On April 24, 2021, some unknown gunmen kidnapped a hotelier, Olukunle Oyedokun, and his nursing wife, Juliana, at their resort in Ajaawa, Ogo Oluwa Native Authorities Space of the state. The sum of N15m ransom was demanded by the abductors who bought a sum of N2.5million upon negotiation.

On Sunday Might 23, 2021, wife of the Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) youth chief, (Mogaji Isiaka Ajibola Areokuta), Dr. Mrs Arikeade Oni-Salawu, was additionally kidnapped by some gunmen. She was kidnapped in front of her residence whereas she was driving and her husband was driving behind. As she bought right down to open their gate, the abductors who had lurked round, swooped on her and whisked her away.

In Kogi State, there weren’t many instances of kidnap this yr besides the latest abduction of Yagba West Local Government Chairman, Mr. Pius Kolawole that led to the killing of Commissioner, Kogi state pension board. Although he had since reunited together with his household, Sunday Telegraph learnt that the abductors had demanded for N50 million ransom. It was not sure if the sum was paid earlier than his launch.