BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND POLITICAL KIDNAPPINGS

Dear Editor,

BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND POLITICAL KIDNAPPINGS

Using indices, one would like to categorise kidnappings mainly in the south-south and south-east into two – commercially motivated and politically motivated. For clarity, commercially motivated kidnappings are those that could easily be ascribed to reasons of ransom payments while politically motivated kidnappings are those aimed at intimidating political opponents; sometimes weighing them out financially and thus put them in a disadvantaged position for electioneering.

One has observed that while Abia, Anambra, Rivers and probably Edo kidnappings are predominantly commercially motivated; Imo and Akwa Ibom in particular are predominantly politically motivated. From whatever angle you look at the growing monster, it started from both politics and economic decay in Nigeria. Its conception was the neglect of the Niger Delta area by past successive governments and was nurtured by politicians, particularly in Rivers State.

Politicians have increasingly used thugs to campaign and win elections to power. When they settle down for business, they ignore settling most of those thugs who then resort to any available criminal activity to take care of themselves. This situation increases as other idle hands that now see the business of kidnapping as a very lucrative source of living. At the end, it is the citizens and the nation that is suffering untold hardships. Those politicians loot the treasury and live in profligacy which the idle hands now try to see as role models.

At times, I feel that the Ghana-Rawling style or the Chinese style of wiping out corruption in our society may serve Nigerian nation best. But must we toe those lines? Our politicians should avoid this by changing their way of life.

Chief Efosa Fredrick, Ikpoba Slope, Benin City, Edo State.