Rising Insecurity: Human Rights Advocate Demands Stronger Action Against Kidnappers
… Faults Delayed Rescue Efforts as Kidnapping Concerns Mount
By Naomi Onome
Human rights advocate and President of the Ambassadors for Peace and Enlightenment Foundation, Comrade Prince Saviour Iche, has questioned the Nigerian government’s response to the rising cases of kidnapping and banditry, alleging that persistent delays in rescuing abducted citizens and conflicting accounts of ransom payments have fuelled public suspicion about the handling of the security crisis.
Iche, who expressed concern over the worsening security situation and its implications for public confidence in government, argued that the increasing frequency of kidnappings under the present administration had made the crime appear increasingly lucrative.
He called on the government to provide clear explanations about its strategies for combating kidnapping, rescuing victims and dismantling the criminal networks responsible for the attacks.
According to him, Nigerians deserve greater transparency regarding the circumstances surrounding the abduction and eventual release of victims, particularly in cases where official statements differ from accounts provided by abductees and their families.
“It is no longer news that kidnapping and banditry are known to the government. We all know that since the inception of this administration, banditry and kidnapping have increased. In fact, kidnapping has become a very lucrative business that everybody knows is going to get,” he said.
The human rights advocate also referred to reports attributed to the Voice of America (VOA), which he said raised questions about the level of awareness of security agencies regarding kidnapping and banditry activities.
He maintained that the government’s handling of abduction cases had left many Nigerians demanding answers about the effectiveness of security operations and the processes leading to the release of victims.
Oyo School Abduction Raises Questions Over Ransom Claims
Iche cited the abduction of schoolchildren, teachers and other school personnel in Oyo State as an example of the concerns surrounding the government’s response to kidnapping incidents.
He questioned the circumstances under which the victims were eventually released, particularly reports that the government maintained that no ransom had been paid, while accounts attributed to some victims and their families allegedly suggested otherwise.
According to him, the apparent differences between official statements and the accounts of affected families have heightened public concerns about whether the circumstances surrounding such releases are being fully disclosed.
He argued that where government authorities insist that no ransom was paid, they should provide sufficient information to help the public understand how the victims were secured and what measures were taken to apprehend those responsible.
Iche stressed that transparency was essential to restoring public confidence and ensuring that Nigerians could properly assess the effectiveness of the government’s security interventions.
He, however, called for a clearer explanation of the operational procedures involved in rescuing abducted persons, questioning why some victims reportedly remain in captivity for weeks or months before regaining their freedom.
“If the government doesn’t know anything about the banditry, why is it taking time? Why is it taking time before efforts to rescue the kidnapped people? What happened to the efforts?” he asked.
Compares Nigeria’s Security Response With Military Intervention Abroad
The foundation president further questioned what he described as the disparity between the government’s response to domestic security threats and its ability to mobilise military resources for operations beyond Nigeria’s borders.
He referred to Nigeria’s military intervention in the Benin Republic following a reported coup attempt, arguing that the speed with which the government mobilised security personnel for the regional operation raised questions about the prolonged captivity of kidnapping victims within the country.
According to him, the government demonstrated its capacity to deploy military and air force resources swiftly when the situation demanded intervention in a neighbouring country.
He contrasted that response with the experiences of Nigerian families whose relatives had allegedly remained in captivity for extended periods while awaiting rescue.
“Within 24 hours, the government of Nigeria that cannot be able to capture one kidnapper gave instructions to the military and the Air Force and all machineries. The government sent them to Benin Republic to go and restore peace and return back the president of that country. It didn’t take more than 48 hours,” he said.
Iche’s comparison centred on the speed of government mobilisation and the need to demonstrate similar urgency in protecting Nigerian citizens from kidnappers and bandits.
He questioned why security operations against criminal groups appeared to take considerably longer in some domestic cases, urging the authorities to explain the challenges affecting rescue efforts.
Imo Abduction: Advocate Questions Conflicting Ransom Accounts
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Iche also cited the abduction of citizens in Imo State, alleging that their release came after several weeks and that conflicting accounts emerged regarding whether ransom had been paid.
He said the Imo State Government and the Federal Government reportedly maintained that no ransom was paid, while families of the abducted persons allegedly claimed that millions of naira had been paid to secure their release.
The advocate argued that such discrepancies deserved clarification, insisting that the government should provide Nigerians with a transparent account of what happened during the victims’ captivity and the circumstances surrounding their eventual release.
He maintained that conflicting accounts could deepen public distrust, particularly when families directly affected by kidnapping incidents offer explanations that differ from official narratives.
However, the ransom allegations remain claims attributed to Iche and the families he referenced and would require independent verification before being treated as established facts.
For the human rights advocate, the central issue is not only whether ransom was paid but also whether the government can demonstrate that its security operations are effective, accountable and capable of preventing future abductions.
Allegation of Possible Negotiations With Kidnappers
The foundation president also questioned what the term rescue means in cases where abducted persons are eventually released after spending considerable time in captivity.
He asked whether such releases result from direct security confrontations with kidnappers, negotiations, or other arrangements that may not be fully disclosed to the public.
Iche argued that Nigerians should be able to understand the broad circumstances surrounding the release of abducted citizens, especially when official explanations appear inconsistent with accounts from victims or their relatives.
He also referenced an allegation reportedly made by a teacher connected to one of the abduction cases in Imo State.
According to Iche, the teacher allegedly claimed that on the day the kidnappers announced that the captives were free, they moved the victims to another location before people he described as the kidnappers’ business partners, allegedly linked to the government, arrived to take them away.
The allegation, as relayed by Iche, raises serious questions that would require independent investigation. No evidence was presented in the statement to establish that government officials were involved in the kidnapping operation or had any relationship with the alleged abductors.
Iche nevertheless insisted that the government should address public concerns about how some victims are released and clarify whether negotiations form part of the process in particular cases.
“The government should come out clean and tell Nigerians that they know what is happening,” he said.
His remarks reflect broader concerns about accountability in the fight against kidnapping, including the need to distinguish between verified security operations, negotiated releases and unsubstantiated allegations of official complicity.
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Calls for Greater Accountability in Fight Against Insecurity
Iche urged the government to strengthen its response to kidnapping and banditry, arguing that the prolonged captivity of victims and uncertainty surrounding their release have placed additional pressure on affected families.
He questioned the effectiveness of current security measures and called for more decisive action against criminal networks responsible for abductions.
He also suggested that the government needed to communicate more openly with the public about the challenges confronting security agencies and the results of operations undertaken to rescue victims.
According to him, public confidence in the authorities depends not only on announcements that abducted persons have been released but also on credible explanations of how such outcomes were achieved and what steps are being taken to prevent similar incidents.
He maintained that the government must demonstrate a stronger commitment to protecting lives and ensuring that perpetrators of kidnapping and banditry are brought to justice.
His comments underscore the need for the government to address public concerns about insecurity through measurable action, transparent communication and effective accountability mechanisms.
While Iche’s allegations regarding kidnapping operations, ransom payments and possible links between abductors and government officials require independent verification, his central demand is that the authorities provide credible explanations for prolonged abductions, demonstrate the effectiveness of rescue operations and strengthen efforts to protect citizens.
The government and relevant security agencies would need to respond to the specific allegations raised, particularly those concerning the circumstances of the reported abductions and releases in Oyo and Imo states, to provide a fuller account of the incidents.
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