J OURNALOFADVANCESINSOCIALSCIENCEANDHUMANITIES JASSH 6 (3), 1154–1162 (2020) ISSN (O) 2395-6542 Kidnapping and Hostage taking: an emerging Issues of Insecurity in Kastina State Jibrin Ubale Yahaya,?,y,1, Musa Mohammed Bello2 1PHD, Department of Political Science, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Jabi, Abuja. 2(PhD In view) Institute of Governance and Development Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi DOI: 10.15520/jassh.v6i3.481 Accepted 20-03-2020; Received 15-02-2020; Publish Online 27-03-2020 Reviewed By: Dr. G ABSTRACT Robert The Governor Masari of Kastina State has cited the high level of insecurity in his state as very worrisome on 2nd January, 2019 at one of the extraordinary security meeting in Katsina which was organized to find a lasting solution to the resurgence of insecurity in the state, said: “all most every day by day we received reports from security agencies about threat of kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry. “No one, not even I, is safe. So, this is the situation and that is why we are here to find a way out, which is a must. There is no option because we are thinking of the survival of our people and state. “It is now a daily occurrence as no day passes without a case recorded. It is not even rustling of cows but now kidnapping of people. “Our state is currently under serious siege by armed robbers, kidnappers and armed bandits who arrest rural people at the grassroots at will and demand ransom, which if not paid, they kill their victims. “The Permanent Secretary was just informing me that his close relative was kidnapped and a ransom of N5 million was demanded and the person who took the money to them was shot. “Some people visited me, and as they left, they were trailed and robbed of their belongings. The armed robbers could not go away with the vehicle because it has security lock on it. “In the past, they carried out their activities in the middle of the night, but now, they operate at midnight, 10pm and gradually in broad day light. “It is not up to a month, right here in front of Government House, five electricity poles were carted away. It is getting out ofhand that we should not fold our arms. Let’s return to God, let’s pray to Him to salvage the situation. So we must reach a lasting solution at this meeting to curtail this ugly trend. “The citizens are on daily basis being harassed by bandits and kidnappers that are on rampage in the state. Based on the above statement of Governor Masari of Katsina State, this paper has the general objective of finding out the major causes of these emerging issues of insecurity in Kastina State from 2017-2019 and finding a lasting solution to the problem, the paper has uses secondary source of data to generate relevant information and analyses the problem. The paper has highlighted the nature of insecurity problems in Katsina curb around kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry in all most 34 local government areas in state which was happening at any giving time of the day or night good peoples of Katsina are in serious confusion because the situation is moving out of control of current security operatives in the state. The paper has of the view that security mechanism need to be improved by demonstrating serious effort and commitment from government at level and the local communities. Key words: : Kidnapping–Banditry–Hostage Taking–Army Robbery 1 INTRODUCTION ? Corresponding author. Katsina State has been facing insecurity problem which y Email: [email protected] has affected the socio-economic development of the affected Kidnapping and Hostage taking: an emerging Issues of Insecurity in Kastina State 1155 LGAs and the State in general. The insecurity phenomenon kidnapping of 234 girls from a secondary school in the coun- of banditry cattle rustling and kidnapping are occurring try (Blanchard 2014:5; Ogege 2013:82). mainly in the eight frontline LGAs of the state (Ladan, 2019). Governor Aminu Masari has come to power in May 2015 and has adopted measures that brought peace and se- curity in the State with the Amnesty Program/Peace Deal 2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM with the bandits. However, the insecurity re-surfaced again Katsina State is one of the States in the North West that with a more dangerous pattern that involved kidnapping is presently affected by banditry, cattle rustling and kid- of people for ransom and ruthless attacks on rural commu- napping which started from July 2018 to date. This affects nities that forces most of them to flee for safety to their mainly the eight frontline Local Government Areas (LGAs) local government headquarters and even to the State capi- namely Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Danmusa, Kankara, Faskari, tal. The persistence of the insecurity evident by the contin- Dandume and Sabua (Ladan, 2019).The situation become ued killing of innocent citizens has sparked protests in some so bad that in January 2019,the Governor of Katsina State LGAs which has further increased the level of insecurity in lamented that “Katsina State is under serious siege by ban- the State. This paper argued that the persistence of the at- dits and kidnappers, even me as a Governor am not safe” tacks, the rate of kidnappings plus the new wave of protests (Aminu,2019).It is based on this background that the paper has raised the level of insecurity in the State to high level is aimed at examining the factors responsible for the level of (Ladan, 2019) insecurity with a view to offering recommendation that can Security is the state or condition of being free from dan- be adopted to curtail the level of insecurity in the State. ger or threat in the daily activities of human beings (Imam, In Nigeria, it was observed that the level of insecurity 2014).Security represents a situation when an individual, has increased since the return to democratic governance group or community can move freely to carry out their daily in May, 1999. These insecurities are caused by communal activities without fear of danger, injury to the body or de- clashes, ethnic/tribal conflicts, religious riots/conflicts, mil- struction of properties. Ensuring the security of lives and itancy and ritual killings, cultism and ethnic militia attacks properties is the primary responsibility of the Government. and the farmers-herdsmen conflicts (Akinola, 2016). These It is because of this that Governments have establish sev- further increased with the arrival of the Boko Haram in- eral security forces to ensure and maintain security within surgency in the North east from 2009 to date. The level of a country and even to respond to external aggressions and insecurity further increased with the changing of the farmer- threats. Insecurity is lack of security or a situation of uncer- herdsmen clashes into banditry and cattle rustling between tainty when a person, group or community is at the stage 2010-2015.In some states of the North, this form of inse- of been subject to or exposed to danger at a given location. curity further changed to not only banditry, cattle rustling Insecurity can also be defined as a situation when someone but to also include kidnapping of people for ransom. is not adequately guarded, protected or defended by the authorities that are suppose to provide security (Webster, 2019).Insecurity in which ever country it is experienced, constitutes serious threats to lives and properties, hinders 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY business activities and discourage domestic and foreign in- The documentary research method will be used in gathering vestors, all of which retard a country’s socio-economic de- and analyzing data for this work. Review of relevant text- velopment (Ewetan, 2014). books, newspapers, internet and all relevant publications In Africa, there have been several incidences of terror- and journals on domestic terrorism and national security ism in various forms or another. For instance, the August are used in this work. Therefore, the method of data anal- 1998 bombings of the Embassy of the United States in ysis is explanatory in nature. Kenya and Tanzania which killed hundreds; the October Significance of the Study 2002 Soweto bombings by the White Supremacist Boermag The significance of the study is that the findings ofthis Organization in South Africa and the October 2004 bomb research would contribute to policy input for members of blast at Egyptian tourist resorts that killed 28 people, to the Security Council at the Federal, State and Local Gov- mention but a few (Lumina 2008: 11). Nigeria today is un- ernment levels. Secondly, the findings would be useful to der serious threats of domestic terrorism emanating from the various security agencies such as the Nigerian Police, the restive youths of the Niger-Delta and the recurrent at- State Security Services and their operatives who are directly tacks on the state by the Boko Haram Insurgents (Oloo charged with the onerous task of maintenance of law and 2009). The youths resorted to the disruption of oil produc- order as well as members of the armed forces. This research tion, pipeline vandalism, hostage-taking, kidnaping, assault will also be useful to members of the media especially de- and bombing of oil installations to fight for the perceived in- fence and security correspondents who report issues related justice in the distribution of the oil wealth (Ogundiya 2009). to national security. Finally it would contribute to the exist- Boko Haram on the other hand have created for themselves ing body of knowledge on domestic terrorism and hostage- a multivariate image by the incessant bombings with the taking as well as provoke further research interest on the impunity and horrific portrayal of people burnt to ashes, subject matter.