INCESSANT KIDNAPPING: A MENACE TO THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY - cocosista15.com

Fellow Nigerians, according to Dictionary.Com, kidnapping is “to steal, carry off, or abduct by force or fraud, especially for use as a hostage or to extract ransom”. Fellow Nigerians, it is so saddening and lugubrious that Nigeria, where everybody happened to be his brother’s keeper prior and shortly after independence has become a country where the citizens can no longer sleep with their two eyes closed anymore because of armed robbery attacks and unending kidnapping which has become part and parcel of the Nigerian society. Nigeria was once a country where investors flooded from various parts of the world for trade and investment. This was the situation before the peace and tranquillity enjoyed by all, irrespective of tribe and tongue was interrupted and replaced by one crime or the other. This ignominious and shambolic act was sometimes going on in the Niger Delta region of the country only with the claim that they kidnap to claim their rights from the government whom they believe to have been controlling their national cake while they (the owner) were hungry and jobless. Kidnapping started in the first place with the napping of the wealthy ones and some government officials whom they believe they could get a huge ransom from, before this heinous crime degenerated into the kidnapping of individuals like the clergies’ lecturers and so on. There is no doubt that this act and the action and inaction of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko-haram have contributed immensely to loss of lives as well as the crippling of economic activities in the country recently. The one that really gave me a shock was the kidnapping of two teachers, a head teacher and vice principal including four students from Igbonla Senior and Junior Model College, at Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State. It is believed that the kidnappers who were suspected to be Militants came with a speed boat and invaded the school while the students were having a special session in the hall. This is so saddening and and unspeakable, the question begging for answer in my mind now is : How much is the salary of a teacher for even ten years or the parents of the students who strive every day to make both ends meet, or are the kidnappers expecting government to pay the ransom? And even though government will respond, what about the suffering and dehumanization that these individuals will go through before anything at all will be done? I therefore, in the name of peace appeal to everyone who is perpetuating the act to please have a rethink, and anyone who is just planning to engage in such acts should think twice for the betterment of the country and its citizens. NIGERIA SHALL BE FREE! THIS IS THE VOICE OF OGWUCHE EMMANUEL.