KEMI OMONIYI
NIGERIA: Amnesty International has urged the Nigerian government to treat the recent kidnapping across the country as an emergency.
Cases of kidnapping have increased in the country with the recent, being the abduction of six sisters from their residence at Zuma 1 in the Bwari area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on January 5.
The demand of N600 million as ransom from the kidnappers has generated public outcry, with the police authorities vowing to secure the release of the victims.
In a statement on Monday, the International Non-Governmental Organisation (INGO), described the abductions as an epidemic that has become part of daily life, urging President Bola Tinubu to take all lawful measures to end the cycle of violence and fear.
“We are now facing an epidemic of kidnapping. People in Nigeria are now living on the knife edge,” the statement added.
“Widespread insecurity and the chaos it causes have been exacerbated by routine kidnapping, as armed groups tighten their stranglehold on the country. Nigerian authorities must immediately stem the tide of kidnapping now.
“Many families choose not to report cases of kidnapping after paying ransom for fear of reprisals and as a result, many incidents go undocumented.
“The current epidemic of kidnapping highlights the utter failure of the Nigerian authorities to effectively protect lives.”
Amnesty International also decried what it called a lack of tangible commitment by authorities to address the escalating breakdown of law and order across the country.
“Security of all people should be the priority of the government. People should not be left helplessly at the mercy of ruthless gunmen. Failure to address the security concerns urgently will grossly enable human rights abuses,” the statement added.
