The Growing Fear Of Aba
In one of my recent articles,'Lucrative Kidnapping-A National Concern', I took an in-depth look at the trauma of kidnapping in Nigeria. The issue of kidnapping in this nation has refused to stop growing geometrically.It has found itself on the lips of every Nigerian with the gripping fear it brings. Recently,the concern has chronically sky-rocketed in the south-east zone.
Most recently,it has shifted to Aba. Aba's case has become legendary, leaving the inhabitants of the city in fears. The fear of kidnappers has not just become endemic but epidemic in the busy city.
Aba is a populous city located in Abia(God's Own State) in the south-eastern region of Nigeria. Popularly known as the 'Enyimba City' or 'Japan Of Africa', Aba is a commercial city housing people from the various tribes of the nation and expatriates.It's large market has made it the delight of buyers and sellers. People from neighbouring states usually come around for goods and services at cheaper rates. With the presence of large markets like Ariaria International Market,New or Ngwa Road Market,Cemetery Market et cetera, people continually troop into the city in search of business opportunities and white collar jobs.
Aba is actually known for many things, both good and bad. It harbours creative minds, who with little or no education, design and manufacture things for public consumption and at the same time creating jobs for themselves. Aba is well known for producing shoes in the popular 'Bakassi' area, clothes and other cheap invaluable items.
On the other hand, they are good at extreme social vices. Aba is well known for robbery(both armed and unarmed),dirty environment, forgery, bad roads, counterfeiting and thuggery. Extrajudicial killing of criminals, incessant riots and kidnapping are not left out of the list. York, a well known zone in Aba,that harbours criminals and hard drug dealers, adds to Aba's records of notoriety. There are several things,both wonderful and horrible, to know about Aba.
Aba suddenly gained a certain notoriety for kidnapping. What started in the Niger-Delta as a tool for attracting the dividends of democracy,gradually spread across the nation and presently is settled at Aba. Day after day, the spate of abduction of men and women keeps increasing. Sleeping with one eye open has increased for fear of being kidnapped. Even going out for ones normal activities has become foolhardy. People have abandoned their homes and relocated to their villages as kidnappers took over every corner of the city. Kidnapping used to be against the rich and wealthy people in our society but nowadays, it is meted against the supposed poor people,from whom little or nothing can be gotten as ransom. It has become very lucrative in Aba,as people borrow to 'bail' their abducted relatives.
It has become more like a tool for revenge or a kind of vendetta. With much aplomb, the die-hard kidnappers perpetrate the act without receiving any reasonable resistance from our uniformed men and women. Their undeserving victims are forced to part with their hard-earned money, after receiving inhumane treatments from their abductors,who hold them hostage for days, weeks and even months.
People, who are not inhabitants of Aba but have the need to visit for important functions are scared, because no one knows the next victim. The news of kidnapping in Aba has filtered into the ears of Nigerians and no one wants to be the scapegoat. Aba is now seen as no-go area.The surprising thing about the whole situation is the lacklustre attitude of our government in tackling the debacle. Our leaders look unconcerned about the whole situation as they are comfortable in their well secured mansions.
Aba is getting deserted as people are running for their lives. The criminals go to the extent of informing their targets before attacking. They communicate via emails,text messages,phone calls and other available means. It has become so bad that even on the process of running from their captors,the victims lose their lives.
What else? Though not completed excluded, unemployment may not be fully blamed because it is not only peculiar to Nigerians. It is found in even developed nations. As much as the government is advised to provide jobs for the jobless youths, security should be beefed up in Aba.
I commend the efforts that have already been put by the Abia State Government towards fighting kidnapping,but there's alot more to be done. The amnesty programme should be taken more seriously, with everyone concerned up and doing. Those of them that have denounced the crime should be well taken care of, so that they will not go back into the business. Solving the problem requires everyone's effort;federal government, you and I. The kidnappers are coming from our homes and communities, let's give reasonable information on how they can be nabbed.
Let the government and security personnel will be perspicacious for once in it's handling.
. . .what goes around,comes around.
Most recently,it has shifted to Aba. Aba's case has become legendary, leaving the inhabitants of the city in fears. The fear of kidnappers has not just become endemic but epidemic in the busy city.
Aba is a populous city located in Abia(God's Own State) in the south-eastern region of Nigeria. Popularly known as the 'Enyimba City' or 'Japan Of Africa', Aba is a commercial city housing people from the various tribes of the nation and expatriates.It's large market has made it the delight of buyers and sellers. People from neighbouring states usually come around for goods and services at cheaper rates. With the presence of large markets like Ariaria International Market,New or Ngwa Road Market,Cemetery Market et cetera, people continually troop into the city in search of business opportunities and white collar jobs.
Aba is actually known for many things, both good and bad. It harbours creative minds, who with little or no education, design and manufacture things for public consumption and at the same time creating jobs for themselves. Aba is well known for producing shoes in the popular 'Bakassi' area, clothes and other cheap invaluable items.
On the other hand, they are good at extreme social vices. Aba is well known for robbery(both armed and unarmed),dirty environment, forgery, bad roads, counterfeiting and thuggery. Extrajudicial killing of criminals, incessant riots and kidnapping are not left out of the list. York, a well known zone in Aba,that harbours criminals and hard drug dealers, adds to Aba's records of notoriety. There are several things,both wonderful and horrible, to know about Aba.
Aba suddenly gained a certain notoriety for kidnapping. What started in the Niger-Delta as a tool for attracting the dividends of democracy,gradually spread across the nation and presently is settled at Aba. Day after day, the spate of abduction of men and women keeps increasing. Sleeping with one eye open has increased for fear of being kidnapped. Even going out for ones normal activities has become foolhardy. People have abandoned their homes and relocated to their villages as kidnappers took over every corner of the city. Kidnapping used to be against the rich and wealthy people in our society but nowadays, it is meted against the supposed poor people,from whom little or nothing can be gotten as ransom. It has become very lucrative in Aba,as people borrow to 'bail' their abducted relatives.
It has become more like a tool for revenge or a kind of vendetta. With much aplomb, the die-hard kidnappers perpetrate the act without receiving any reasonable resistance from our uniformed men and women. Their undeserving victims are forced to part with their hard-earned money, after receiving inhumane treatments from their abductors,who hold them hostage for days, weeks and even months.
People, who are not inhabitants of Aba but have the need to visit for important functions are scared, because no one knows the next victim. The news of kidnapping in Aba has filtered into the ears of Nigerians and no one wants to be the scapegoat. Aba is now seen as no-go area.The surprising thing about the whole situation is the lacklustre attitude of our government in tackling the debacle. Our leaders look unconcerned about the whole situation as they are comfortable in their well secured mansions.
Aba is getting deserted as people are running for their lives. The criminals go to the extent of informing their targets before attacking. They communicate via emails,text messages,phone calls and other available means. It has become so bad that even on the process of running from their captors,the victims lose their lives.
What else? Though not completed excluded, unemployment may not be fully blamed because it is not only peculiar to Nigerians. It is found in even developed nations. As much as the government is advised to provide jobs for the jobless youths, security should be beefed up in Aba.
I commend the efforts that have already been put by the Abia State Government towards fighting kidnapping,but there's alot more to be done. The amnesty programme should be taken more seriously, with everyone concerned up and doing. Those of them that have denounced the crime should be well taken care of, so that they will not go back into the business. Solving the problem requires everyone's effort;federal government, you and I. The kidnappers are coming from our homes and communities, let's give reasonable information on how they can be nabbed.
Let the government and security personnel will be perspicacious for once in it's handling.
. . .what goes around,comes around.
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