Kidnapping as a National Embarrassment in Nigeria and the Military Role in Curbing It

Kidnapping in Nigeria has taken on a new dimension: It has evolved into a lucrative business—and has become a means of livelihood for some frustrated and evil-minded people. This unlawful act has become so frequent that the world now sees Nigeria as a failing state where people are easily kidnapped for ransom. In fact, kidnapping is being used as an agenda through which to destroy the Nigerian state. It is a silent and orchestrated means of waging war against the country. The implication is that the military must counteract this action. No doubt, this ugly development is not good for Nigeria’s image—neither with the citizenry nor with the outside world in general. Kidnapping is a rape to humanity in the sense that one is abused without recourse to dignity. These abductions are also tantamount to forced migration as the kidnapped are compulsorily moved from one “homeland” to an unknown land without their consent. In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful carrying away (asportation) and confinement of a person against their will. Kidnapping, therefore, is a crime against humanity and impinges on a victim’s fundamental human rights of movement and association. Using the basis of kidnapping as a crime against humanity, especially in Nigeria, this chapter is written from a conflict management perspective with the supposition that economic hardship and the quest to get rich fast may actually have been responsible for the series of kidnappings experienced by Nigeria in recent times. The paper believes the military has a role to play in bringing this menace to a halt.