It is now becoming obvious that kidnapping is rearing its ugly head in Jos metropolis, hitherto an unimaginable assumption. The notion that rampaging kidnappers may dare not set foot on somewhat impregnable city like Jos has left some residents stunned and feeling vulnerable.
We cannot live in denial that there is no cause for concern, there is palpable apprehension from those who had seen their next door neighbor abducted by armed kidnappers or relatives whom have witnessed the frightening scene of how their loved ones were abducted in the dead of night by gun-wielding kidnappers, imagine seeing such horror and the devastating scar it leaves on the psyche of both the relatives and victims of kidnapping.
The scourge of kidnapping and the untold horrors it has brought on Nigerians is indescribable, many has had their loved ones gruesomely murdered in captivity by these murderous kidnappers and this wanton resort to impunity by these murderous gangs and the sordid macabre is not helped by our Nation’s seeming inaction to clampdown ruthlessly on these demons.
Not long ago, someone in my circle of friends was whisked away from his house in New Abuja within Jos by armed kidnappers; he was held for days and released only after ransom was paid. Then again, there was this attempted kidnap on a neighbourhood in Gold and Base, residence were awoken in the night from the deafening sounds of multiple gunshots from kidnappers who obviously didn’t succeed on that mission.
On Saturday, 7th September, 2024, a very close friend of mine was abducted while driving into his residence on Shinco Road in Rayfield, out of nowhere, gun wielding men with assault rifles, some in military camouflage, emerged from an uncompleted building seizing my friend and his gate man, they were taken away on foot while his car was left by the gate entrance with the engine still running, on reaching a distance, the gate man was asked by the gunmen to go but not until he was hit on the forehead with the butt of the gun, he fell to the ground and after regaining his consciousness he walked his way back home. In the midst of this kidnap incident, the entire neighbourhood was oblivious of the happening as the kidnappers executed their evil machination without firing a gun, probably so that no one could alert the Police.
Shortly after they made off with their victim, they placed a call to his wife using his phone and begun to negotiate for ransom of Fifteen Million Naira. A day after, the distressed and traumatized family begun negotiating with the kidnappers, in all these, neither the family nor friends of the victim lodged any formal complaint to either the Divisional Police Office or the Plateau State Police Command.
In a twist of fate, two days after the kidnap, my kidnapped friend was aided by one of his abductors to escape from captivity without any ransom, he walked long distance and was able to find his way to the road and thereafter picked up by a Good Samaritan and back home to reunite with his distressed wife and family.
These, like many other, is a daily occurrence as most families of kidnapped victims will prefer to rather negotiate with kidnappers than lodge official report of such incidents with the Police who are statutorily responsible for such. This ugly situation to a great extent, stems from citizen’s waning confidence in the ability of the Police and Security Forces to meticulously go after kidnappers when a case is reported, this represent the very sorry state of our Nation as it sends a very sinister impression that the Police and Security Forces are hamstrung by the State from going into the bushes to confront and take out these murderous gangs and destroy their bastions.
But in all fairness to the Police, we must commend them for their exceptional commitment to duty and for their uncommon sacrifice in the midst dwindling fortune.
The Plateau State Police Command and other Security Forces must routinely comb some of the bushes and forests in the Plateau where these evil merchants hibernate, the rule of the game should be ‘’Take No Prisoner’’, this bizarre methodology might be a befitting punishment for these unrepentant and unremorseful bloodthirsty demons who takes delight in unleashing mayhem on helpless and innocent people.
The two incidences of kidnapping in Jos I highlighted happened to people in my very circle, it and others not reported to the Police may be dismissed as isolated but it should be a wake up call to the Plateau State Police Command, it’s a pointer to an emerging security threat.
The Plateau State Police Command must view this catalogued sequence incidence of kidnapping as harbinger of a synopsis of an audacious kidnapping plot on Jos and environs aimed at targeted individuals which must be met with a definite response that is guided by informed planned action and the earmarking of dedicated telephone lines for reporting incidences of emerging kidnapping for swift response, this will ultimately keep the Police well placed to respond in thwarting unfolding kidnapping.
The State Police Command must employ sufficient intelligence with the aid of communities and well meaning residents of Jos and the entire Plateau towards identifying informants and collaborators who conspire or abet kidnapping. Eliminating the threat of informants in this collusion ostensibly means disconnecting the loop that feeds the live wire of kidnappers.
By Afuwai Gideon
