Kidnapping and Hostage Negotiation in Nigeria

Kidnapping remains a threat to Nigeria’s long-term security, stability, and development. In recent years, the Nigerian state has been bedeviled with kidnapping activities and this challenge is being exploited by other criminal networks which take advantage of the state’s under-policed localities to forcefully move vulnerable individuals to unwanted and unknown destinations. The challenges associated with kidnapping have become a serious concern in Nigeria, a country that is already fragile as a result of violent conflicts, corruption, poverty, and economic hardship. Paradoxically, the Nigerian state still has a success story for negotiation and protection response which has effectively served as a substitute to suppress kidnapping. The objectives of this paper are to examine the challenges of kidnapping and its social impacts in Nigeria as well as interrogating the mechanisms maximized by the Nigerian government in its negotiation efforts with kidnappers. The paper does this with a view to conceptualize kidnapping in the context of Nigeria’s experience and outline the pros and cons of government’s strategies in negotiating with kidnappers and criminal networks in the country. Maximizing extant literature and relevant case studies, this development is rigorously analyzed through academic lens and raises questions such as what is the historical and operational dimension of kidnapping and hostage taking in Nigeria and its social impacts on country? What are the implications of using (worst alternative of) ransom payment in negotiating with kidnappers? Is the willingness to negotiate with kidnappers through (worst alternative of) ransom payment encouraging more kidnapping activities in Nigeria? Finally, what role should the government play in deciding whether to negotiate or not with (ransom payment) worst alternative?