These days, kidnappers are on the prowl, and when they strike, they leave behind sorrow, tears and blood.
These criminals are spreading their tentacles to more parts of Nigeria making innocent citizens their prey.
In recent times, this unhealthy development has unsettled many citizens where they have openly carried out their attack.
More criminals are venturing into the business of kidnapping for ransom, and political which, until a few years ago, was common only in the Niger Delta and Southeastern part of the country, but gradually happening everywhere, especially in the north.
These bandits have abducted people in broad daylight, ambushed unsuspecting targets and whisked them away in a commando manner.
Some members of these gangs also rape and kill their victims even after collecting ransom from their families while those released are left with emotional trauma.
Fresh in memory is the abduction of , about three hundred and thirty four students from a boys’ secondary boarding school on the outskirts of kankara, katsina state.
Also, more than eighty Islamic school students were kidnapped in Katsina State last week but they were rescued by security forces after a fierce gun battle between security personnel and the alleged kidnappers which led to the death of soldiers.
The kidnappers target policemen and soldiers to collect their arms and uniforms needed for their operations.
Indeed, some victims will require the attention of social and psychological therapists to deal with the post traumatic stress disorder, suffered during and after the attack.
Nigerians have repeatedly called on the security agencies to intensify their efforts in fishing out the kidnappers who are often misconstrued for herdsmen.
They are also urging different communities to cooperate with the security agents in fishing out the bandits who have been terrorising many areas and causing residents sleepless nights.
Though, kidnappers are sentenced to long or life imprisonment, immediate dispensation of justice should be meted out on these people to end the act in the country.
The Inspector General of Police and other security chiefs, must form a crack anti-kidnapping unit which combines intelligence gathering with striking capabilities.
Such a force can gather intelligence before a kidnap takes place or track the calls between kidnappers and their victims’ families, as it happened in the Nigeria-Turkish International School experience, men of the security agencies moved in and arrested the criminals after they collected the ransom.
A special anti-kidnapping team should work in conjunction with the network carriers whose services are always employed by kidnappers for negotiations.
Communal efforts are needed to reduce kidnapping to the barest minimum while general surveillance of towns and cities should also be embarked upon by security agencies.
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