By 
The rising incidence of kidnapping has assumed a ubiquitous trend in Nigeria. Almost on daily basis, Nigerians are inundated with news of the abduction of unsuspecting persons, in different parts of the country.
From the North to the South and the East to the West, the story is the same! These unscrupulous elements spring out from nowhere, to abduct defenceless Nigerians, take them to their hideouts, from where they put calls across to victims’ relatives for payment of ransom.
The early stage of kidnapping in Nigeria was mainly for ritual purpose. In the south-west region, it was called gbomogbomo. There were also instances where individuals were abducted during communal wars and held as bait for strategic trade-offs.
Another dimension to kidnapping was introduced in the Niger Delta region around 1990, where militants engaged in hostage-taking to press home their demands for better living conditions in the area.
Though the trend has abated in that region, unfortunately, it was embraced by youths in the South East region who considered it a lucrative business.
Abia and Anambra states were critical hotbeds for kidnappers, whose targets were parents and relatives of the rich. At a point, indigenes stopped visiting their home towns, out of fear of being caught in the kidnappers’ webs.
Boko Haram
Insurgents also introduced kidnapping in their bloody game. In this case, they would storm schools and villages, abduct victims in large numbers and whisk them to their hideouts. Sometimes, these victims, especially young girls faced terrible abuse. Some of them forced into early marriage and those who were not Muslims forced to convert.
The abduction of 276 Chibok girls in April 2014, in Borno State and additional 200 girls from Dapchi, Yobe state, in 2018, by members of the Boko Haram, are examples. Till date, some of these girls are still missing. In particular, is Leah Sharibu.
Today, the trend has assumed a frightening and worrisome dimension, as herdsmen seem to have taken over, terrorising Nigerians all over the country. On the Abuja – Kaduna expressway, they attack motorists and whisk them away, both in the day time and at night. This expressway is notorious for kidnapping and frequent armed robbery activities and has become a hub for robbers who see abduction and murder as lucrative.
Other dangerous roads where these herdsmen kidnappers operate in the north are Birnin Gwari-Kaduna Road; Kaduna- Saminaka-Jos road; Kaduna-Kachia road; Kagarko-Jere road; Birinin Gwari-Kagara-Tegina road; Sarkin Power-Birnin Gwari route; and Minna-Lambata-Diko-Kaduna axis.
They also include the Nassarawa Shendam road; Obi/Keana/Awe road; Akwanga/Keffi road; Keffi/Nasarawa/Toto road; Gudi-Keffi road; Gudi Garaku road; Nasarawa-Toto-Gadabuke road and Akwanga/Abuja road.
In addition are the Niger Suleja – Lambata, Bida road; and roads in Kushaka, Kurebe, Pandogari, Gidigori, Kusherki, Koregi, Alawa, Kwaki, Bataro, Chikuba, Shafa, Kauri, Zazzaga in Rafi Local Government Areas of Niger State
Roads in Kakangi, Gayam, Dan Ganji, Maganda, Dawari and Kazage. Gusau-Magami-Dansadau, Kuceri-Danjibga-Keta-Wanke, Kaura- Namoda -Moriki-Shinkafi, Zurmi-Jibia – Katsina, and Talata Mafara/Tsafe In Sokoto State and Issa and Rabah Local Government Areas are also dangerous zones, known for acts of banditry.
In addition, it was gathered that herdsmen operate a thriving kidnap network between Umutu, Urhonigbe and Abavo communities. Katsina Jibia – Gurbi – Kaura Namoda; Dutsinma – Kankara – Sheme – Faskari; Musawa – Matazu; Charanchi-Kankia-Kusada; Dandume – Sabuwa; Sheme – Kankara and Dutsinma – Funtua, which many motorists avoid between 6 pm and 6 am. Jibia – Gurbi – Kaura Namoda road which links Katsina and Zamfara states is, also considered dreadful.
Middle Belt
The Sankera axis comprising three Local Government Areas: Katsina/Ala, Ukum and Logo, have had to contend with issues of kidnappings which usually occur on the over 150km stretch of Katsina/Ala – Wukari road, linking Benue and Taraba states. Also, Wukari-Takum and Wukari-Ibbi roads in Taraba State are notorious for kidnapping.
South East
The South East is not spared either. Some of the roads prone to kidnappers attacks include Enugu-Ugwogo-Nsukka Road; Nsukka-Adani-Onitsha Road; 9th Mile-Nsukka-Makurdi road; Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, particularly at Ugwu-Onyeama valley; and Enugu-Port Harcourt road.
Kidnapping is yet to abate at Ukpabi-Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu state; Ugwu-Onyeama along Enugu-Onitsha road; Ebonyi Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway; Abakaliki-Afikpo Expressway; Amasiri-Okigwe Expressway; Ivo-Oso Edda Road and some roads linking the hinterlands in the state.
Edo
Kidnapping in Edo State is almost on daily basis, as herdsmen intercept motorists and whisk them into the forest, from where negations for ransom take place.
Some roads prone to these attacks are Upper Sokponba, Ehor axis of the Benin-Auchi road; Ogbemudia Farm; Okada, along Benin –Ore-Lagos expressway, and Avbiama in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the State.
In Edo Central, kidnapping is common along Ubiaja-Ewohimi-Agbor Road, while roads across the six Local Governments Areas in Edo North regularly record cases of kidnapping by suspected herdsmen.
Delta
The South/ South region is not safe either. In Delta State, for instance, these herdsmen commonly kidnap many of their victims on their farmlands. In the process, some of them are killed.
Some of the roads where kidnapping takes place in this region are Edo-Ogwashi-Otulu-Atuma-Akwukwu-Igbo Road, considered as a quiet stretch into a dead zone.
Others are : Ebu-Ukala-Onicha-Olona road; Issele-Uku-Otulu road and Issele-Uku-Onicha-Olona road.
Issele-Uku-Ubulu-Uku road, in Delta State, is another dreaded route. On January 5, 2016, the monarch of the Ubulu-Uku Kingdom in Aniocha South Local Government Area of the State, HRM Akaeze Edward Ofulue III, was abducted by suspected Fulani herdsmen
. Fifteen days later, members of a vigilante group found his decomposing remains at the stomp of a tree in the bush at Umunede, Ika North-East local government area, the boundary between Delta and Edo States. The Umutu –Urhonigbe-Abavo and Ekuku- Agbor roads are also notorious for kidnapping.
Other notorious roads prone to herdsmen attack in the South-South include Okurekpo community road in Ethiope East Local Government Area and the Ode Bridge axis in Ethiope East in Delta State.
On Bomadi-Ohoror road, activities of bandits and herdsmen who kill and maim commuters have become worrisome. The road traverses four local government areas of Delta namely Bomadi, Patani, Ughelli South and Ughelli North.
Women lament
Agadama community women lamented that they were often raped by herdsmen in their farms along Agadama road. Urhonigbe portion of the Agbor-Obiaruku-Abraka-Warri road was also found to be another area of concern.
In addition, some of the roads notorious for herdsmen attacks in Rivers State, are Emohua-Elele-Alimini axis of the East-West road; Isiokpo-Elele axis of the Port Harcourt-Owerri Road; Omagwa – Ubima; Isiokpo- Ubima; Elele -.
South West
The scenario is not different in the South West region either. In Osun and Ekiti states, affected roads include Esa-Oke junction; Iwaraja-Efon Alaaye; Ile-Ife junction; Iloko junction; Ipetu-Ile – Ilesha; Ilesha-Ile-Oluji; Ilesha -Osogbo, and Ilesha- Akure.
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