The Rising wave (Saga) of Kidnapping in Nigeria.

A total 353 kidnappings were reported in 2008.
By June this year An estimated 512 persons have been kidnapped.
The rate is up nearly 70 per cent from all of last year, as militants and criminals expand targets to include religious figures and children.

Kidnapping,known before only in the Niger Delta, is now a daily occurrence in Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Abia,and many other States in the country

The action which started from the kidnapping of oil expatriates has moved to the men of God and children.

Gangs have filled the void by snatching politicians, children, and religious figures.

Lattest strides include the kidnapping of Nollywood stars such as Pete Edochie and Nkem Nwoh (A.K.A Osuofia ) and Pa Soludo,Charles Soludo's Father.

Hundreds of foreign workers have been abducted in the past three years, prompting companies in sectors ranging from energy to telecommunications and construction to withdraw most non-essential staff.

Lend your voice to change now.

The way things are going ,if the Government does nothing about it.
Even President Umaru Yaradu'a may soon be kidnapped.

Another fresh one just happen.

I agree seriously with Adamu.

BENIN CITY — THE Ekpoma branch chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Nath A. Inegbedion and three of his children were kidnapped at Ekpoma, yesterday.

The latest kidnap in Edo State is coming barely forty-eight hours after the kidnap of Dr. Ganiyu Abubakar, the Deputy Director in the Department of Livestock and Water Resources in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the State.

However, against the backdrop of recent high-profile cases of kidnapping in the country, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, has directed the massive deployment of policemen, particularly those in the Mobile unit, in major cities across the country, to curtail the activities of robbers, kidnappers and other perpetrators of violent crimes during the Eid-el-Kabir and Christmas festivities.

More story Here

Amnesty should also be granted to kidnappers, i think it will help

On June 13, it released British oil worker, Matthew Maguire, after nine months in captivity. He was believed to be held the longest of any hostage since the MEND launched its campaign of violence in early 2006.
Amnesty ?, Must everything be amnesty in this nation ?
How can kidnapping be justified ?

I am concern of the dangerous dimension this is getting to,In the last six months, people who are close to me have been victims of kidnapping.

The MEND on July 13 bombed Atlas Cove, the jetty in Lagos from where imported refined fuel is lifted to petrol stations. It was the first such attack outside the Niger Delta.

The one that scared me most was the case of two children of a friend who were kidnapped in Benin two weeks ago. The kidnappers demanded for a whopping 50 million naira from the father of the kids, a medical doctor.

The National Assembly must take the lead in passing a bill concerning punishment for kidnappers. State Houses of Assembly must follow the example of Delta State by enacting a law that would make kidnapping punishable by death, if only to discourage kidnappers. They are worse than armed robbers! belive me,What kind of thing is this ?

The MEND said on May 14 its fighters kidnapped 15 foreign crew members after hijacking two cargo ships off the coast of Delta State.

On June 13, it released British oil worker, Matthew Maguire, after nine months in captivity. He was believed to be held the longest of any hostage since the MEND launched its campaign of violence in early 2006.

This Oyinbo man don suffer.If de tell an say make n come to naija again , he go swear.

incessant kidnappings is "the challenge of the moment for Nigeria",
Although a rare occurence in the North,It was also achieved their.
An armed gang kidnapped a 45-year-old Canadian woman visiting Kaduna on April 16,She was released two weeks.
Rumours was that they were apprehended.

GunMEN on Wednesday kidnapped a medical doctor at Ogidi in Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It was learnt a passer-by was killed by stray bullets.

The doctor, Osakwe Okwuosa, is the Medical Director of Ajufo Hospital, Ogidi.

Eyewitnesses said he was kidnapped in front of his hospital.

Pls, lets pray that this young people will not kidnap our academic intellectuals because they seems to be the only group of people left. However, the way this exercise is growing, i dare to believe that members of a church may also try to kidnap their pastors for gulping their tithes and....because all this kidnappers are from one religious assembly or the other.

Latest is the Kidnapping of Four Journalists including a NUJ Chairman.

On his part, Senate President David Mark yesterday condemned the spate of kidnappings and abduction and tasked security operatives to "rise up to the challenge and save the citizens of his avoidable hostility in the hands of criminals."

"No responsible government would allow this to continue," said the Mark. He added that "we must all rise to the occasion and curb the menace."

In a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary Mr. Paul Mumeh, the Senate President told the kidnappers to release forthwith the abducted journalists unconditionally, saying, "Enough of this embarrassment, we cannot continue to allow this to happen; criminality of any form is condemnable, it cannot be our way of life."

Mark called on communities, especially traditional rulers, to join the fight against kidnapping. He sympathised with the families of the victims and the NUJ.

Onitsha — Ugwueke, the Medical Director of Madueke Hospital and Maternity Nkpor, near Onitsha was said to have been abducted last Friday evening in front of his hospital.

A very competent family source told Daily Champion that Ugwueke who hails from Eha-Alumona, Nsukka local government area of Enugu state was coming out from the hospital when a gang of kidnappers descended on him, forcefully dragged him out of his car and bundled him into the booth of a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) which the kidnappers came with.

The kidnappers numbering about five were said to have come with the SUV and another Toyota Camry.

Daily Champion gathered that the kidnappers had opened discussions with the family members of the medical doctor and were said to be demanding a ransom of N5 million out of which the family said they would pay N2 million.

When contacted, the Anambra State Police Spokesman, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, an Assistant Superintendent gave tacit confirmation of the kidnapping, but said the Police was yet to get detailed circumstance, leading to the kidnap.

Ironically, the abduction was coming on the heels of denials by the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Philemon Leha that kidnapping was not on the increase in the state.

He told reporters last Tuesday during a continuation of the familiarisation tour of Police Divisions in Anambra state that the rate of kidnapping in the State was being exaggerated and over dramatised.

Sani Lulu (Sacked NFF Boss) Aged Mother has been kidnapped,Kidnappers are demanding for .2 billion naira ransom.

This is the IG's response to the kidnap of the Journalists.

But Onovo, who reiterated the determination of the police to apprehend the kidnappers and free Oba and others, warned against the payment of ransom to secure the release of kidnap victims.

He said in a statement quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday that ransom encouraged kidnapping

The statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, added that the IG “frowned seriously at the attitude of some citizens who pay ransom to kidnappers, to secure the release of their beloved ones.”

According to Ojukwu, Onovo warned that the police would take “serious action against persons who encourage the vice (kidnapping)” by such payment.

He urged that cases of abduction should be reported promptly to the police.

“The Nigeria Police Force has over 400 kidnappers in its custody and had rescued many victims from the clutches of criminal,” Ojukwu added.

Onovo, who addressed officers and men of the Imo State Police Command, took a swipe at the police commands in the South-East.

He said that it was regrettable that kidnappers and armed robbers were having their way in spite of the many police checkpoints on the highways in the zone.

The IG said the police had no reason to fail in the execution of their duties because they were now better equipped to fight crime.

He attributed the increasing wave of crime to the lack of commitment to duty by many policemen.

Onovo said, “You know what our mandates are. You have done well in maintaining peace and order. But you have failed in preventing crimes. There are over 5,000 policemen in this state.

“I can’t understand how kidnappers abduct people in Abia State, pass through Imo State to Anambra State without being arrested.

“I can’t understand how kidnappers enter churches and kidnap innocent worshippers. You can’t tell me that not even one person among you knows where these people are.”

Onovo, who is touring the commands in Zone 9 of the NPF, expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the police within the past one year.

Recalling the kidnapping of four journalists and their driver in Abia State, the IG said he was optimistic that they (the journalists and their driver) would soon regain their freedom.

He put the figure of kidnap suspects being prosecuted in the zone at 350.

The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aloysuis Okorie, had earlier told Onovo that more than 600 persons were arrested for various crimes within the past one year in the state.

Okorie disclosed that five policemen died during gun duel with armed robbers during the period

.