By Ebi Kesiena
A new public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls has revealed a concerning sentiment among adult Nigerians nationwide, with 56 percent lamenting that the authorities are not doing enough to curb the menace of kidnapping in the country.
This, according to the findings sheds light on the growing concern over the security situation in Nigeria.
Presenting the outcome of the survey to journalist in Abuja, Chief Executive Officer of NOIPolls, Dr Chike Nwangwu explained that the North-Central Zone accounted for the highest number of respondents who decried the prevalence of this menace.
According to Nwangwu, the polls has further exposed the determinants of kidnapping to the current economic hardship faced by Nigerians adding that there is an urgent need to address the root causes of kidnapping and enhance security infrastructure across the country.
‘‘The poll reveals the perceptions of adult Nigerians as a significant proportion of respondents, 53 percent consider kidnapping to be prevalent in Nigeria,’’ he said.
In providing insights into the outcomes of various kidnapping cases reported in the country, Dr Nwangwu stated that the poll found out that 38 percent of adult Nigerians admitted knowing someone who has been kidnapped within their community in the past year while a majority, 78 percent of respondents showed that the most recent victims had been released.
Also, he noted that the poll inquired into the issue of ransom payments had 43 percent of respondents stating that a ransom was paid for the victims’ release.
Alarmingly, a higher proportion of respondents, 21 percent revealed that between 1 to 3 million Naira was paid as ransom, highlighting the financial burden placed on families affected by kidnapping incidents.
The NOIPolls boss thus called on the government to seek more avenues that will improve on the source of livelihood of people, noting that respondent’s identification of economic hardship and unemployment at 39% as primary drivers fueling kidnapping in the country.
A security expert, Dr Kabiru Adamu noted that the polls corroborates the callout that the kidnap for ransomed threat in Nigeria is a threat that is affecting the countries national existence.
He suggested that it might be necessary for the government to engage in introspection and assessment to recognize the necessity for a shift in their approach to addressing insecurity.
Similarly, in response to inquiries about the government’s commitment to eradicating kidnapping, Public Affairs Analyst Frank Tietie said despite the expected increase in resources allocated to tackle insecurity, tangible progress in addressing the issue has not been adequately demonstrated.
He therefore called for the need to question the sincerity of government responses to these reports, particularly concerning the possible involvement of corrupt individuals in leadership.
