Kidnapping Crisis Escalates in Abuja, Nigeria

Amidst an 'epidemic of kidnapping', residents live in fear as authorities scramble to respond.

A fresh wave of kidnappings in Abuja, Nigeria has sparked fear among residents, with people limiting their movements out of concern for their safety.
On January 5, a man and six of his daughters were kidnapped, with the kidnappers demanding a ransom of 50 million naira (€50,400). Despite the payment, one of the daughters was killed.
Amnesty International has expressed concern over what it describes as an 'epidemic of kidnapping' and the failure of Nigerian authorities to effectively protect lives.
President Bola Tinubu has been meeting with ministers and security chiefs to discuss a strategy to deal with the kidnappings, with Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar assuring that the public would see the results of government intervention soon.
The practice of crowdfunding ransom payments has become common, but authorities warn that this only encourages further kidnappings.