Kidnapping and Hostage taking: an emerging Issues of Insecurity in Kastina State

Abstract

The Governor Masari of Kastina State has cited the high level of insecurity in his state as very worrisome on 2nd January, 2019 at one of the extraordinary security meeting in Katsina which was organized to find a lasting solution to the resurgence of insecurity in the state, said: “all most every day by day we received reports from security agencies about threat of kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry. “No one, not even I, is safe. So, this is the situation and that is why we are here to find a way out, which is a must. There is no option because we are thinking of the survival of our people and state. “It is now a daily occurrence as no day passes without a case recorded. It is not even rustling of cows but now kidnapping of people. “Our state is currently under serious siege by armed robbers, kidnappers and armed bandits who arrest rural people at the grassroots at will and demand ransom, which if not paid, they kill their victims. “The Permanent Secretary was just informing me that his close relative was kidnapped and a ransom of N5 million was demanded and the person who took the money to them was shot. “Some people visited me, and as they left, they were trailed and robbed of their belongings. The armed robbers could not go away with the vehicle because it has security lock on it. “In the past, they carried out their activities in the middle of the night, but now, they operate at midnight, 10pm and gradually in broad day light. “It is not up to a month, right here in front of Government House, five electricity poles were carted away. It is getting out of hand that we should not fold our arms. Let’s return to God, let’s pray to Him to salvage the situation. So we must reach a lasting solution at this meeting to curtail this ugly trend. “The citizens are on daily basis being harassed by bandits and kidnappers that are on rampage in the state. Based on the above statement of Governor Masari of Katsina State, this paper has the general objective of finding out the major causes of these emerging issues of insecurity in Kastina State from 2017-2019 and finding a lasting solution to the problem, the paper has uses secondary source of data to generate relevant information and analyses the problem. The paper has highlighted the nature of insecurity problems in Katsina curb around kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry in all most 34 local government areas in state which was happening at any giving time of the day or night good peoples of Katsina are in serious confusion because the situation is moving out of control of current security operatives in the state. The paper has of the view that security mechanism need to be improved by demonstrating serious effort and commitment from government at level and the local communities.