Why kidnapping is no longer lucrative

Kidnapping, which was hitherto a very lucrative business to those engaging it, is now a bad venture as there’s  no hiding place for the perpetrators of the heinous crime any more on account of the improved efforts of the security operatives in handling the crime.

The recent success recorded by the police in Lagos and Ogun environs in bursting kidnapping with the use of sophisticated tracking device is a further proof that those contemplating to go into the counterproductive trade will surely give it a second thought.

In most cases now, it doesn’t take the police more than few days to get the perpetrators. Not only that, the ransom collected from the family of the victim will also be recovered.

This was also confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Lagos state, SP Dolapo Badmos when ENCOMIUM Weekly had a chat with her on Friday, February 24, 2017. She, however, reassured the public of sustenance of the police renewed effort in combating kidnapping and other crimes in the state and its environs.

“Yes, kidnapping is now a bad business. It’s no longer business as usual for the perpetrators because we always go after them and get them arrested. Then, if they have collected any ransom, we make sure that’s also recovered. Even, whatever they might have achieved with the proceeds of kidnapping is also recovered from them. After, they will still face the law. And now that the Lagos state law recommends death sentence for kidnapping, it even makes the whole thing worse for the perpetrators. So, there is no need going into it again because no kidnapper can escape any more, the person will be fished out and will be made to face the music. We won’t relent on our efforts to get rid of the crime and other forms of crime in Lagos state and its environs.”

SOME OF THE RECENTLY FOILED KIDNAPPINGS BY THE POLICE

1. The arrest of the notorious kidnap gang members who attempted to abduct Billionaire mogul, Femi Otedola for N1 bn ransom sometime in November 2016.The arrest was achieved through coordinated intelligence gathering and deployment of technical investigative tools that spanned a few weeks.
2. The Rapid Response Squad, Lagos state command also foiled the kidnap of a two year-old boy at Owode, Ogun state on December 28, 2016. The kidnappers’ plan was to demand N10 m ransom from his parents. The leader of the gang, a 33 year-old man was arrested and has since confessed to the crime.
3. Also, on January 27, 2017, police nabbed four kidnap gang members responsible for Turkish College Kidnap. The arrest was carried out in Lagos, Ogun and Delta states. The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), working in synergy with the Tactical Intelligence Unit (TIU) of the Nigeria Police Force, in a joint operation supervised by Kayode Aderanti, AIG, Zone 2, Lagos successfully smashed the notorious gang and got four of the active members arrested.
4. The police authorities in Abuja also reportedly foiled a kidnap attempt on the Onibeju of Ibeju Lekki, Oba Rafiu Salami. However, five members of the vicious kidnappers were apprehended by the operatives of IGP’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT). The suspects were picked up separately in Ore, Ondo state, Sapele, Delta state, Ibafo, Ogun state, Ikorodu and Epe in Lagos state. They’re also said to be responsible for the kidnap of Lagos landlords in Isheri North.

• TADE ASIFAT