Kidnapping in Nigeria Implications for National Security
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the Study
The specific objectives of this study therefore are:
(1) To examine the various factors responsible for kidnapping in Nigeria.
(2) To determine the implications of kidnapping to Nigeria’s national security.
(3) To determine the roles of government in curbing the menace of kidnapping.
Chapter Two
Literature Review
Conceptual Framework
Concepts of Kidnapping
Kidnapping by nature is an acquisitive crime of a very high violent crime standing which is an offense against the value system of a society. Okonkwo (1980) opined that kidnapping is broadly inclusive in assault. He construed the nature of kidnapping in his comment as involving;
Any person who unlawfully imprison, and take him out of Nigeria, without his consent, or unlawfully imprison any person within Nigeria in such a manner as to prevent him from applying to a court for his release or from discovering to any other person the place where he is imprisoned, or in such a manner as to prevent any person entitled to have access to him from discovering the place where he is imprisoned.
From the line of thought of Okonkwo one would observe as Ugwu (2010) avowed that, there is a dehumanizing tendency involved in the crime of kidnapping as it often leads to the death of the victim. The view of Ugwu is essentially true because as the kidnapping crime is carried out in our country is usually beyond ransom taking, since death is usually a resultant consequence for those who cannot or whose people could not meet up with the often exorbitant amount called out for as ransom even after a disgracing bargain or negotiation.
Kidnapping as Schmalleger (1997) noted, as a criminal offense has “corpus delict” of a crime that is “body of a crime” because the needed element are present to establish the act as a crime. Yet, kidnapping is not a situational crime, as it has in sufficient proportion “mens rea and actus reas” the two essential element of a criminal act. Okonkwo (1980) comented on these two concepts when he opined that “mens rea” on one hand is the intention to commit a crime in other words the state of mind that accompanies a criminal act. While “actus reus” on the other hand means, the guilty act which is a necessary first feature of every crime in violation of the law.
Bryne and Taxman (2006) quipped that kidnapping is a choice, not an unavoidable response to hopeless environment. Farabee (2005) in support of this position threw more light, when he discarded the pervasive belief that kidnappers essentially have no choice but to resort to crime, as conveying a profoundly destructive expectation to them and to future criminals. Farebee concludes that this mode of thinking or orientation undermine the criminal’s perceived ability to control their own destinies.
By its very nature therefore, kidnapping causes a disruption of order and decline of public security. No wonder, Ugwu (2010) opined that, the tactics employed to address the problem are not adequate in yielding the desired result and fruit. He concludes that the more the police strategize to track the kidnappers down, the more the criminals unleash their terror on the people (p.4). Terrorism as a violent act is intrinsically tied to kidnapping. Ugwu (Oral Interview, 2011) disclosed that, one have to be terrorized first of all before one succumbs to a kidnapping encounter. With Ugwu’s view it is glaring that a synergy exists between kidnapping and terrorism since it takes a measure of the latter to compel a person to fall victim to the former.
Concept of Terrorism
Terrorism is not new, and even though it has been used since the beginning of recorded history, it can be relatively hard to define. Conceptualizing Terrorism One critical analytical problem in the discussion of the Niger Delta crisis is the dilemma of finding an appropriate word or concept to describe the menace and its perpetrators. Numbers of words have featured prominently in the literatures, magazines and newspapers (Osaghae 1995; Suberu 1996, 2001; Adejumobi and Aderemi 2002; Ogundiya and Amzat 2006; Ikporukpo 2007) describing the perpetrators of the crisis as- terrorists, criminals, ethnic militias, rebels, freedom fighters, insurgents, revolutionaries, and political agitators.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The statement of the problem above and the objectives of the research is a useful guide in determining which research design to use in carrying out this study. After having clearly examined the problem and the objectives, the following research designs will be used in the study:
Exploratory Research:
This research design can be used in the first instance to get more information about the problem and it will open up more avenues to finally address the problem.
- It will help to properly define the concept of terrorism, kidnapping and hostage- taking in relation to Niger Delta Militants agitation more precisely
- Help to identify and isolate the possible key variables and how they relate to contribute to the emergence and violent activities of Niger Delta Militants
- It will help gain insight into developing an approach to finally resolving the problem
- To identify major cause of action to take and how, when and where to take it.
- Establish priorities for future research
Two methods will be used under this design:
Secondary Data/information research:
Under this method, some notable scholars and writers have written on the subject of terrorism, kidnapping and hostage-taking perpetrated by the Niger Delta Militants and so many publications that can be accessed to provide more insights into the topic will be reviewed. The following sources will be explored for information on cyber crime:
- Newspapers/magazines
- Journals/periodicals
- Seminars/workshops papers
- Opinion leaders’ articles on cyber crime.
- Library materials-textbooks, and
- Internet
- Blogs
- Online newswire
Experienced Surveys:
In order to approach the study, knowledgeable and experienced people in counter-terrorism, security and management industry would be administered questionnaire here on the problem to get their views and perceptions about the problem. These categories of respondents have been identified as stakeholders and the information from them will help provide insight into the immediate causes, effect and also help chart a course for remedial solution to the problem.
In this study a total of 200 respondents will be sampled and administered questionnaire among the identified stakeholders or population. The questionnaire will be proportionally distributed based on the identified characteristics of the population. The distribution of the data collection instrument will be done within the FCT and it will take two weeks to carry out the field-work of administering the questionnaire and collect responses.
Population of Study
The population used in this project work is a randomly selected respondent from the identified stakeholders below who are resident within the FCT. It serves as a primary source of information.
The identified stakeholders for the study:
- Ex-militants
- State Security Service
- The Nigeria Police Force
- The Judiciary
- Nigerian Army (military)
- Civil Defence Corps
- Lawmakers
- General Public
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION
Data Presentation
The research was carried out within the FCT by distributing a total of 200 questionnaires among the randomly selected sample of respondents within the stakeholders identified for this study who have offices in the FCT and some residents for the study.
The table above shows that out of a total of 200 questionnaires distributed, 190 were returned, and this gives a total of 95% response from all the respondents. Therefore analyses and data presentation will be based only on the returned questionnaire.
Chapter five
Summary, conclusion and recommendation
Summary
This research work assess kidnapping in Nigeria implications for national security, a case study of Niger Delta. The study was set out with three objective and research questions: to examine the various factors responsible for kidnapping in Nigeria, to determine the effect of kidnapping on national security and examine the role of government in curbing the spread of the menace of kidnapping in Nigeria. The methodology used included the questionnaire as well as descriptive analysis of data presented. The study revealed that kidnapping has not only become a criminal phenomenon or an academic issue of discuss but also a major threat to national security. Kidnapping has been related in some countries to the crime of terrorism which shares a major threat to national security. Kidnapping in Nigeria, however considered new to the security or crime challenges to Nigeria, has taken a rather dramatic and worrisome position. This has been due to the dimension it took in its widespread in almost all the region of Nigeria. The causes of kidnapping in Nigeria have been grouped under economic and political factors. Economic in the sense of the low per capital income, poverty, unemployment to mention a few has been a major factor that has propelled the adoption kidnapping especially by youths. The political factors have been related to the political struggle for self for attainment and development of the Niger Deltaregion, as well as its adoption by political miscreants. In To this end, there is the need to put in place some measures in order to achieve the essence of national security as well as well human development some of those measure as recommended in this study include the adoption of developmental project for the youth of the society including the full implication of MDG project. Another measure to this the creating of an enabling factor for self-employment of the youths of the country as well equipping in capacity and sophistication security personnel in to combat the kidnapping menace head on.
Conclusion
As it has been observed in this study, terrorism, kidnapping and hostage-taking in the Niger Delta region is a consequence of the long years of negligence, real and perceived marginalization of the oil producing communities and the nonchalant attitude of the oil companies to environmental safety. It is directed at the Nigerian state and the multinational oil companies rather than against the national interest of any nation. Therefore, the Niger Delta question in Nigeria is peculiar and domestic though it may have international implications. From all sides of the divide, it calls for a careful understanding of the issues involved, and the strategies being applied. The problem is for the Federal government to solve. Repressive state policies or military solution cannot be the right panacea but a determined effort, devoid of rhetoric, to promote social justice and equity; to stem the tide of environmental devastation and ecological destruction going on in the Niger Delta.
Though the establishments of special commission like the defunct OMPADEC and the current NDDC is a welcome development, it is necessary for the government to monitor and constantly evaluate the activities of such agency in order to determine whether its stated achievement is commensurate with the fund released. This will further check financial recklessness, mismanagement and corruption that have bedeviled all government agencies in the country. Most of the redistributive policies failed because they were conceived and adopted at a level far too removed from the people. Hence, there is need for community involvement in policies designed to affect their lives.
Furthermore, the activities of the multinational oil companies must be closely monitored and under strict scrutiny in order to ensure that it conforms to the best practices around the world. Social and infrastructural development must be the priority of both the government and the oil companies. The multinational oil companies must be alive to their corporate responsibilities. The current levels of infrastructural decay in the region are sources of dissent and rebellion in the state. Fundamentally, Nigeria needs to redefine its national security goal. The national security aspiration of Nigeria has for a long time centered on expelling external aggression and containing internal upheavals. Therefore, economic deprivation or imbalances, poverty, health concerns, international migration, terrorism environmental issues like desertification, gully erosion and other ecological problems should form part of the security agenda. This is critical to the resolution of the Niger Delta crisis because the grievances of the people are rooted in the deplorable state of the environment; abject poverty and economic and social deprivation. David Palmer (Quoted in Crenshaw 1995) maintained that isolation and poverty breed terrorism. The fact that the hostages are being taken for ransom suggest that poverty is a major precipitating factor in the explanation of domestic terrorism in the Niger Delta and the attendant threat to human and national security. Therefore, concerted effort must be directed at implementing policies that engender social and economic development of the various communities.
There is need for a clear and coherent national policy on terrorism, kidnapping and hostage taking. Akin to this, a well trained antiterrorism squad must be created from the Nigerian Army, Air Force, Navy, Police and State Security Service. The role of these security organizations must be clearly stated in order to prevent duplicity and conflict of functions. This is necessary and critical to Nigeria’s preparedness to contain the development and spread of terror acts to other zones of the country.
Recommendations
While it is commendable the steps so far taken by the government to resolve the militancy in the Niger Delta region, notable of which is the amnesty programme and establishment of NDDC among other things, a lot still need to be done. Occasionally, soft measures are applied while at times hard measures are inevitable in order to maintain peace or protect the corporate existence of the country. Government should embark on the following policies to finally put to rest agitation in the Niger Delta region:
- Re-organizational policies which refer to state effort to restructure or reconfigure political or administrative institutions and relationship in order to accommodate group demands or strengthen the efficacy of centralized state power.
- Regulatory policies which on the other hand entail the mandatory imposition of sanctions or restrictions of individuals or groups that are perceived to pose a threat to state cohesion and order.
- Redistributive Policies: Revenue sharing or resource distribution has been at the centre of ethnic agitation in Nigeria. The exceptional political sensitivity of resource allocation is worsened by the lack of consensus on the criteria of distribution, the absence of reliable socioeconomic data, and political change, and the extent to which revenue distribution is tied to perceptions of regional ethnic dominance (Suberu 2001). Revision in Federal revenue sharing arrangements have been the most important redistributive policies designed to contain ethnic minority agitation in Nigeria. The irony however is that, the various review exercises have been done at the disadvantage of the oil producing communities. Before oil assumes a prime position in the Nigerian economy derivation principle occupied the centre stage of revenue sharing practices. The percentage allocated to derivation stood at 50% before the promulgation of the Distributable Pool Account (DPA Decree 13 of 1970) which slashed it down to 45%. The 1979 Constitution revised the petroleum act of 1969 by declaring Federal Government’s ownership of all mineral resources both onshore and offshore and the derivation share of oil revenue slashed to 5% by the Second Republic government of Shehu Shagari. Therefore government should revert back to 50% derivation formula before the promulgation of DPA Decree 13 of 1970, to enable the Niger Delta governments have more funds for developmental purposes.
- Participatory policies; Government should create a forum that will provide the oil communities opportunities to table their grievances in a legitimate manner. It should also provide the opportunity for the government and the multinational corporations to assess their activities on the one hand and ensure corporate social responsibilities on the other hand.
- Development plans; the Federal Government should charge the NDDC to implement the all-inclusive Niger Delta Development Master Plan. The Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan was launched by President Obasanjo on Tuesday, March 27; 2007. The broad goals of the master plan with mutually reinforcing components include poverty reduction, industrialization and socio-economic transformation to prosperity. Therefore the plan focuses on five major themes: Economic Development, Community needs the natural environment, Physical infrastructure, and Human and Institutional Resources (Agbo 2007: 30). The 15-year Plan clearly enunciates the role of all the stake holders- local Government, State Government, Federal Government, Multinational Oil Companies, etc. – in tackling the problem of development in the Niger Delta. Though, it is too early to evaluate the plan, it demonstrates the commitment of the Federal Government to end the crisis because the ‘security of the Niger Delta is the security of Nigeria’ (Yar’ Adua cited in Tell June 4, 2007: 31). The problem however, remains whether the new Plan will not suffer the same faith that befell the previous policies. As noted earlier, the persistence of the problem indicates the failure of some of these measures.
- Environmental reclamation/clean-up; There is the urgent need to restore the degraded environment or the region and observe an oil moratorium (stop oil activities for a period of at least 3 years), to ensure natural recovery of the dying ecosystem through well-planned integrated remediation measures.
Furthermore, there is the need to redress the fragrant violations of the rights of the people of the delta as experienced in the region over the years.
I wish to recommend the solutions proffered by Alfred F. (2006) in his forward to a report on Niger Delta Human Development published by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
- Government should promote peace as the foundation for development. There cannot be any meaningful development without peace. A peace agenda must include education, easy access to justice and a more equitable distribution of resources. Make local governance effective and responsive to the needs of the people. Government is very central to achieving meaningful development outcomes.
- Improve and diversify the economy – The Niger Delta region, with its stock of natural and human resources, offer immense opportunities for developing a diversified and growing economy. Over-dependence on oil is causing so much conflict.
- Promote social inclusion and improved access to social services – a major concern is the nation’s longstanding exclusion of some people from the mainstream of Nigeria’s socio-economic and political activities. The majority of the people in the Niger Delta live on the margins. Reducing exclusion and achieving more even handed development implies the empowerment of socially marginalized groups and individuals, stronger social institutions and infrastructure, and the development of the capacity of existing local groups.
- Promote environmental sustainability to preserve the means of people’s sustainable livelihoods – the mainstreaming of environment sustainability into all development activities must be complemented by proactive steps to conserve natural resources, to reduce pollution, especially from oil spills and gas flares; and to set and achieve adequate targets for clean air and water and soil fertility. These should be backed by rigorous enforcement of environment laws and standards
- Build sustainable partnerships for the advancement of human development – stakeholders must work together to achieve meaningful change. All levels of government and NDDC, the oil companies, the organized private sector, civil society organizations (CSOs) should form partnerships around plans for sustainable development and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Non-State actors (CSOs) should initiate and facilitate genuine process of development and protection of rights of the people.
References
- Adeyemi, A., “Terrorism: Lessons from other lands”, TELL, February 6, 2012, p44.
- Ajetunmobi, W., “NLC to Federal Government: Stop these Killings”, The Nation, Tuesday, January 24, 2012, p. 2.
- Adewumi, F. 2001(ed.), Oil exploration and exploitation: the Slate and Crises in Nigeria’s Oil- bearing enclave, (Lagos; Fricdrich Ebcrt Foundation. 1998);
- Ambily E., (2007). The politics and conflicts over oil and gas in the Niger Delta Region: Towergate Resources, Port Harcourt
- Augustine I., (2005), “The economy of conflict in the oil rich Niger delta region of Nigeria” Nordic journal of African studies 14(2),. Ikelegbe, 220
- Asliton Jones.; The Human Ecosystem…. Oil Times, (Lagos), June, 2000. p. Z3
- Adam Nossiter, “Poverty Could Imperil Amnesty in Niger Delta, New York Times, November 26, 2009.
- Bukola A. O., (2009); A Historical Overview of Domestic Terrorism in Nigeria
- Department of Petroleum Resources, cited in Nigerian Tribune, (Ibadan), Tuesday 17 June. 2001
