Nearly two months after the February 25th presidential election, Nigeria is still plagued by insecurity. In the northwestern regions of the country, kidnappings resumed at a brisk pace, after an apparent lull during the election period. On Tuesday evening, a group of eight young girls who had been kidnapped in early April was released after they managed to escape their captors in Kaduna State.
The persistent issue of kidnapping in Nigeria’s Kaduna State has taken a grim toll, with over 125 reported deaths and 60 recorded abductions since the beginning of 2023, though the true numbers are likely much higher as many cases go unreported. Despite the belief that the recent cash crunch in Nigeria may have momentarily slowed down the pace of kidnappings, researcher Nnamdi Obasi from the International Crisis Group reveals that the criminals never ceased their activities.
Ransoms in kind
Instead, they have resorted to alternative forms of ransom, such as demanding motorcycles or food in exchange for the release of their victims. This underscores the alarming and evolving tactics of the kidnappers, who continue to wreak havoc on the region, leaving families to grapple with the daunting task of negotiating with the criminals on their own.