The fact that terrorists, kidnappers and other criminals now constantly have a field day killing innocent citizens and holding many others captive for as long as it takes for their demands to be met is a dangerous and depressing signal for Nigeria.

The only way the Federal Government, led by President Bola Tinubu, can prove that it has not lost control of the society is to move urgently and strongly against these horrendous acts, rescue those in captivity; and arrest and prosecute the perpetrators to make them pay dearly for their callous actions.

Recently, the insecurity in the country has taken a more terrifying dimension, with terrorists, kidnappers and other criminal-minded elements wreaking mayhem in local governments and states across the geo-political zones as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. The worst hit in the recent escalation of the madness is Abuja, the seat of power, where terrorists freely exhibit callous and unpardonable disregard for human life by murdering their captives because of the inability of their families to raise and pay the ransom demanded within the time given to them.

As the blood of innocent victims being spilled unchallenged by these monstrous creatures wails for justice, some questions can be asked: when will this madness stop? Has the government whose responsibility it is to protect life and property in the country been overwhelmed? Isn’t there now another government in Nigeria controlled by terrorists, and who decides who should live and who should not? What hope for Nigerians and foreigners living in Nigeria?

There is no doubt, even among the most incurable optimists, that the country, at best, is failing. To show the whole world that Nigeria has not failed, the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government must do everything within its power to end unprovoked and unwarranted shedding of the blood of innocent citizens and exploitation of the people by criminals.

Nigerians are dismayed, and Tinubu ought to be shocked by the unprecedented magnitude of cruelty in what the media has appropriately dubbed “Abduction epidemic.” The terrorists, who had operated in communities and highways have become emboldened by the delay and weak reaction to their evil actions by the government and are now launching themselves into the city centres, including the FCT, mercilessly seizing hapless Nigerians from their home.

Among the recent sad cases that are still making Nigerians to tremble is the killing of Nabeeha Al- Kadriyar, a 400-level student of Biological Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, who was kidnapped alongside her father, Alhaji Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, and five sisters from their home at Zuma 1 on the outskirts of Bwari town in Abuja on January 11, 2023.

Nabeeha was murdered by the ruthless terrorists when the father who had been released to get the N60 million ransom demanded, could not provide the money within the time given to him. Seemingly out of annoyance that the N60 million was not delivered on time, the criminals reportedly raised the ransom to N100 million per and gave Al-Kadriyar another ultimatum, while the remaining five daughters were still in captivity.

Terrorists also killed one Folasade Ariyo, who was kidnapped alongside her mother and three siblings. The criminals reportedly dumped the bodies of Nabeeha and Ariyo and two unidentified victims around a former military checkpoint behind Idah Junction along Bwari-Jere SCC Road in Kagarko Local Government of Kaduna State. Folasade has been buried but the mother and the three siblings were still in the den of their captors until it was later reported that troops of the Nigerian Army had rescued some of those kidnapped at the time, including the Kadriyars.

In Zamfara State, about 36 women were abducted at night by terrorists in the Maguzawa community of Kaura Namoda Local Government. It was learnt that the criminals took the vigilantes unawares, took control of the community and were moving from house to house, forcing people, mostly women and children, to follow them into the bush. It was also reported that the daring terrorists stormed a joint military camp in Nahuta village, Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State at night, looted goods and destroyed property. On Sunday January 14, gunmen kidnapped one Dr. Musa Sale Argungu, a deputy dean and lecturer in the Faculty of Physical Sciences, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero.

In Enugu State, gunmen abducted four people in Adani, including a former transition committee chairman of the local government, Vitalis Okonkwo, and his son. Soldiers of the Nigerian Army who engaged the gunmen in battle later succumbed to the superior firepower of the terrorists. Ekiti State was not spared as hoodlums on January 15 invaded the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital in Ado Ekiti, attacked doctors on duty and made away with a corpse.

It is worrisome that all these serious criminal activities are being perpetrated across the country and there is not much evidence that the security agencies are alive to their responsibility of either preventing them or arresting the culprits for prosecution and punishment. The situation is emboldening the criminals to carry out more nefarious activities at will. It makes Nigerians perceive the Federal Government as losing control of the country to terrorists and other criminal elements. The Tinubu administration must wake up to the constitutional task of ensuring safety of life and property, and bringing the culprits to book.

To rescue the country from the grip of terrorists, the government should ensure adequate and effective policing of the nation. It is shameful that policemen are overwhelmed and subdued by criminals during security operations as reported often in the media. The police should have adequate firepower and modern security equipment, while the officers should be visible in every nook and cranny of the country. Inadequate policing and inferior firepower are some of the major reasons terrorists will invade a community and have a field day killing some residents and taking others captive. In some cases, the criminals will operate for days unchallenged by any security agency.

There is a need for strong collaboration among the security agencies in the war against criminals. The rivalry between the Army and the police regarding who actually rescued the Kadriyars and other captives was unnecessary and could weaken the anti-terrorism fight to the detriment of national security. The common goal should be safety of life and property in the country.
•To be continued tomorrow.