As the high rate of kidnapping continues unabated in Taraba state, ANDREW OJIH writes on the outcry by residents of the state against this menace that keeps everyone awake all night.
No doubt, kidnapping in the country has evolved into a lingering, pervasive security challenges to the extent that it has metamorphosed into a fast-paced and multi-faceted criminal enterprise.
Investigation shows that the menace which has mostly occupied the entire northern part of the country is now perpetrated by diverse armed groups and criminal gangs operating across the country.
Investigation shows further that the genesis of this phenomenon can be traced to abduction saga started by Niger Delta militants a few years ago.
The militants, according to report, kidnapped foreign oil workers and use them as bargaining chips in order to draw international attention to the environmental degradation and under-development in their oil-producing communities.
It was believed that the causes of kidnapping, among them, were unemployment, poverty, religion, political issues, and so on.
Today, Taraba is one of the states that has prevalent record of kidnap cases.
Blueprint investigation reveals that from 2015 to date, over 3, 000 people have been kidnapped in the state.
The worst recorded case that has portrayed the state in negative light was the kidnap and murder of the late Hosia Ibi, member representing Takum 1 in the state house of assembly on December 31, 2017.
The late law maker was kidnapped by three unidentified gunmen in his home town in Takum on that fateful Saturday night.
Unconfirmed report had it that the gunmen demanded for 75 million for his release.
After the payment of the said ransom, however, his dead body was later found near a forest by the road-side in Takum on Monday, January 15, 2018.
Since that unfortunate incident, kidnapping in the state has become an easy way of making quick money for the perpetrators.
Just recently, the chief press secretary to the state governor, Hassan Miginyawa, was kidnapped while on his way from Jalingo to Gembu along Sarti in Gashaka local government area of the state.
His abductors demanded for 100 million but the state government, it was alleged, paid over 35 million before he was released.
A good number of Taraba people have expressed their bitterness over the increasing activities of this act in the state.
The worrisome dimension now is that the kidnappers have changed their base from hidden places in the bush and relocated to Jalingo, the state capital, where they carry it out unhindered as they go about it freely without any fear while demanding for ransom.
Instances
A few days ago, for instance, unknown gunmen abducted two wives of Alhaji Babaji Dadin kowa, a permanent secretary in the deputy governor’s office.
The gunmen, according to reports, stormed the residence of the senior public servant located at Yagai area in Jalingo metropolis at midnight by first, firing several shots and as a result, residents of the area fled. It was further gathered that they forced their way into the house but the permanent secretary was not in the house at the time they came. They however abducted his senior and junior wives to an unknown location and began to demand for ransom.
Also, in the early hours of Tuesday last week, the deputy registrar (administration) of the state university, Mr Sanusi Sa’ad, was abducted by armed kidnappers.
Chairman of the local branch of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr Samuel Shikaa, who confirmed the incident, said Sa’ad who is also the information and protocol officer of the university, was abducted from his residence at the university staff quarters at about 1am.
He said the kidnappers invaded the deputy registrar’s residence through the back side of the university that was not fenced and took him to an unknown destination.
Also, last week, the dare-devil men kidnapped the permanent secretary in the state ministry of water resources, Mrs Susan Jonathan. She was abducted from her house located around the ATC area of Jalingo around 2:17am.
Kidnapping in Taraba at the moment is becoming a daily occurrence as hardly a day passes without a media reports of abduction.
Residents of Jalingo, in particular, have been crying out over the increasing rate of kidnapping activities in the state.
A resident of Magami ward in Jalingo, Mr Sabo Yakubu, who spoke to Blueprint on the activities of the kidnappers lamented that it has reached a stage where people no longer sleep with their two eyes closed.
“As I speak with you, people no longer sleep comfortably in their homes anymore. Two weeks ago, in my compound in Magami, kidnappers came in at midnight, beat all the tenants and kidnapped two people. Since then, whenever I hear any unusual sound, I become afraid,” he said.
Also, a resident of ATC area of Jalingo, Mrs Philomena Aiwe, said the state government and the federal government need to take urgent steps to address this ugly trend of kidnapping in the state.
She explained that within January till date, over 60 people have so far been kidnapped across the state.
“One thing that kept bothering us is the rate at which they operate within Jalingo. In the past, we only hear of kidnapping in Takum, Ussa, Gashaka and other places but not the state capital.
Continuing further, she said, “A few days ago, the state chairman of NBA, Mr Uban Doma, was kidnapped in his house in Mayo-Dasa and one businessman in Sabon gari. Once they notice that you are rich, the next thing is to visit you in your house and kidnap you and start demanding for ransom,” she explained.
According to her, the state government must take steps to check the activities of kidnappers in the state.
In reaction, the Taraba state commissioner of police, Mr Alkasim Sanusi, who recently paraded five suspected kidnappers terrorising resident of the state, warned kidnappers and other criminals to leave the state,saying that the command is determined to root them out of the state. He was speaking while launching operation puff adder recently.