The Business of Kidnapping School Children in Nigeria.

The Zamfara kidnapping was a mass kidnapping of 279 girls aged between 12 to 17 years on 26th February 2021. Armed bandits raided the Government Girls Science Secondary School which is a boarding school. This was the second school kidnapping in Nigeria during 2021, occurring nine days after the Kagara kidnapping in which over forty people were kidnapped in a raid on a state school in the state of Niger.

It has become quite common in Nigeria to hold school children for ransom. The bandits often resort to targeting them as parents are easily willing to pay money to save their children. The kidnapping of children also gives them notoriety and publicity and the government also has to exercise utmost restraint in taking any action. Between 2011 and 2020, Nigerians have spent around the US $18million in ransom.

In this case, more than 100 attackers armed with guns arrived at the school and they remained there for few hours before making off with the school children. Some of them were reportedly in the uniform of security forces. The schoolchildren were taken by the kidnappers to the nearby Dangulbi forest where many criminals are known to operate.

Many people believe due to the weak security infrastructure mass abduction has become an attractive source of income, as governors have little control of security in their states and the police and army are controlled by the federal government.

Zamfara governor Bello Matawalle who in the past has offered repentant bandits with houses, money, and cars said people not comfortable with his efforts to end the crisis were sabotaging his efforts.

There have been other kidnap victims too like road travelers who pay between $20 to $2,00,000 for their freedom.

It is after the much-publicized abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok secondary school by Boko Haram Islamic militants in 2014, that more armed groups have resorted to mass kidnappings of students.

President Muhammadu Buhari has insinuated that state governors were fuelling the crisis.

“State governments must review their policy of rewarding bandits with money and vehicles. Such a policy has the potential to backfire with disastrous consequences.”

The kidnap of the Chibok girls in 2014 attracted worldwide attention but there has not been much reaction in subsequent kidnappings. There have been no hashtags like #BringBackOurGirls which drew global support and put pressure on President Jonathan to act. This shows that the Nigerians are exhausted at the frequency of mass abductions and the people are really tired.

There are a number of factors contributing to the problem of kidnappings in Nigeria and we will discuss them:

· Poverty

The abject poverty in Nigeria encourages people to take part in kidnappings. They see the kidnappings as a means to exit from the trap of poverty. When the kidnappers receive ransom, they become rich compared to their previous conditions.

· Corruption

There is an influence of politicians. After seeing their leaders corrupt practices people are motivated to earn more money. There is corruption in many places like the police force and the bankers. The resources are not shared wisely among people.

· Not enough Jobs

Graduates and school dropouts roam the streets being unemployed for years. Many of these youths are afflicted by poverty and they get into committing serious crimes.

· Changing value system

The changing value system in Nigeria glorifies illegal and corrupt means to sustain life. It has now reshaped the values of the youth who abhor the traditional system of good morals and hard work.

· Influence of political system

Many Nigerians are hungry for power and willing to acquire power by any means and are willing to indulge even in political assassinations to achieve their goals.

· Get quick rich dreams

There is the get quick rich syndrome. Many Nigerians are not willing to strive hard and in this world where the norm is survival of the fittest; they lag behind. The youth of today have big dreams and they want to achieve them without working hard. Kidnapping is the easiest way to get rich soon.

· No strict penalty for kidnappers

There is no strict penalty for the kidnappers which has resulted in the deterioration of the situation. There is hardly any risk of action and the kidnappers are encouraged to commit the crime as a way to get rich.

The effect of kidnappings on education in the region

Authorities of the Kano and Yobe states ordered more than 20 schools shut at the weekend because of insecurity. Dozens of schools have been shut for years due to the Boko Haram insurgency. The region is known for a high rate of dropout of school children which was made worse by the coronavirus pandemic.

The attendance rate of primary schools is just 53% in Northern Nigeria even though education at that level is free and compulsory. The attendance of girls is even lower due to the norms and practices. The implication of these abductions is that parents get scared to send their children to schools.

Meanwhile, the governor of Zamfara state has said that all the 279 girls who were abducted from the Government Girls Science Secondary School in Jangene last Friday have been released by their captors unharmed.

It gladdens my heart to announce the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe from captivity. This follows the scaling of several hurdles laid against our efforts. I enjoin all well-meaning Nigerians to rejoice with us as our daughters are now free.

— Dr. Bello Matawalle (@Bellomatawalle1) March 2, 2021

Governor Matawalle has said that no payments were made to kidnappers to secure the release of the girls and the students were released based on an understanding with the repentant bandits.

Some steps taken by the government in the past to improve the situation

A‘Safe School Initiative’ was launched after the kidnapping incidence of the Chibok girls by building fences around the school. Around $20 million was pledged for the three-year project which was supported by the United Nations. Many container schools were built as temporary learning spaces as part of the scheme.

Most of the recent kidnappings have happened in North West which was not covered by the Safe School initiative, but the kidnapping of 110 schoolgirls from Dapchi in the Northeast raises doubt about the success of the initiative.

Nigeria’s military has built posts closer to some schools but the vast number of schools means that many of them are left unprotected. Many schools have deployed vigilantes armed with local weapons but they often prove ineffective against heavily armed kidnappers.

The steps taken by the government are not sufficient therefore there are repeated incidents of kidnapping. Some further steps that can be taken by the government can include:

· Implementation of Anti-Kidnapping Law-

The Nigerian government can endorse a strict anti-kidnapping law where kidnapping should be made a capital offense. Government officials should avoid the flashy displays of wealth and abhor corruption. Good leadership with complete transparency is the need of the hour. This will result in patriotism and nation-building.

· Job creation-

The awarding of the death penalty will not be enough as there are many criminals who are willing to change if they are provided jobs. The government should come out with policies that result in job creation. This will take care of the idle youth and lead them towards being more productive, away from the environment of crime.

· Public Awareness Campaign

The government should embark on a public awareness campaign to shun kidnapping and establish micro industries to empower youth and lesser privileged persons.

· System to track calls

The service providers should ensure that every line is registered before it starts functioning as this will enable the easy track of incoming and outgoing calls of all the customers in the network. This could be used to trace the kidnappers and track their position.

· A modified system of policing

The adoption of a modified system of community policing can become a source of information for security agencies. The security outfits should be provided with vehicles and communication devices in order to maintain maximum efficiency. Any government official or politician found to have relations with the criminals should be immediately dismissed which will discourage others from involvement in criminal activities.

· Keeping a check on arms proliferation

The illegal flow of arms is harmful to society. The government should monitor the porous borders more vigilantly and keep a check on local persons producing illegal weapons.

The situation of kidnapping innocent persons and particularly the small school-going children has been going on for a long time in Nigeria. It can be brought under control by the firm resolve of the government and the people. There are many countries which have got rid of this problem. Nigeria too can do the same provided the people and most importantly the government works to resolve the situation.

References

The Journal of Social Science.