By Igbotako Nowinta

“As the anti-kidnapping campaign gathers momentum in Edo State, Nigerians across the country will be watching closely. Many will hope that what is beginning as a determined state-level response will ultimately inspire a broader national awakening. If that happens, Governor Monday Okpebholo’s current offensive against kidnapping may become more than a state initiative. It may become a model for restoring public confidence and reclaiming the security of the nation. The fight against kidnapping is not merely a battle against criminals. It is a battle for the soul of Nigeria”

Nigeria is passing through one of the most troubling periods in its contemporary history. Across highways, rural communities, forests and even urban centres, kidnapping has evolved from an occasional criminal activity into a frightening national industry.

What was once regarded as a rare security challenge has now become a recurring nightmare that stalks citizens daily. From farmers on their farmlands to traders on interstate roads, from students in educational institutions to religious leaders, traditional rulers, business owners and ordinary families, no segment of society appears immune from the menace.

The fear of abduction has become so pervasive that many Nigerians now calculate their journeys not merely by distance but by perceived security risks.

Against this grim national backdrop, an interesting and significant development is emerging from Edo State. I may not have agreed with the political process that brought Governor Monday Okpebholo to power in Edo State.

Like many Nigerians, I held reservations about certain aspects of the political circumstances surrounding the transition of power. However, political disagreements should never blind us to realities on the ground.

When a leader demonstrates courage in confronting a major societal challenge, such efforts deserve recognition regardless of political affiliations or personal preferences.
This is precisely why Governor Monday Okpebholo’s current war against kidnappers deserves national attention.

For too long, criminal gangs have operated with a dangerous sense of confidence, exploiting weaknesses in security architecture and feeding on the fears of ordinary citizens.

Entire communities have lived under siege. Families have been forced to sell properties, liquidate savings and plunge themselves into debt simply to secure the release of loved ones from kidnappers.

The emotional damage is often even more devastating than the financial loss.
Many victims never fully recover from the trauma of captivity. Parents continue to relive horrifying experiences. Children carry emotional scars for years. Communities become psychologically wounded. Economic activities decline as investors avoid insecure environments.

Kidnapping is therefore not merely a security problem.
It is an economic problem.
It is a social problem.
It is a developmental problem.
It is a humanitarian crisis.

Most importantly, it is a direct assault on the dignity and freedom of citizens. This is why the strong and uncompromising measures being deployed by the Edo State Government deserve serious reflection beyond the boundaries of the state.

What appears to distinguish Governor Okpebholo’s approach is the determination to send an unmistakable message that criminality will no longer enjoy comfort, protection or accommodation.

The essence of effective governance is not merely the formulation of policies but the demonstration of political will. Laws are important. Security agencies are important. Institutions are important. Yet all these instruments become ineffective when political leadership lacks the courage to deploy them decisively.

History repeatedly teaches that criminal enterprises thrive wherever governments appear hesitant, divided or indifferent.
Conversely, criminality begins to retreat when governments demonstrate firmness, consistency and resolve.

The battle against kidnapping cannot be won through press statements alone. It cannot be defeated through ceremonial meetings or routine condemnations issued after every tragic incident.

Kidnappers do not fear speeches.
They fear consequences.
They fear effective intelligence gathering.
They fear coordinated security operations.
They fear disruption of their networks.
They fear the seizure of their operational bases.
They fear exposure.
They fear justice.

Most importantly, they fear a government that refuses to negotiate with criminality.
One of the greatest misconceptions surrounding kidnapping is the belief that criminal gangs are mysterious forces beyond the reach of the state.
They are not.

Kidnappers are not ghosts.
They are not spirits.
They are not supernatural beings.
They are human beings who recruit members, acquire weapons, establish hideouts, communicate with accomplices, receive ransom payments and move within identifiable environments.
This means they can be traced.
They can be identified.
They can be apprehended.
They can be prosecuted.
They can be dismantled.

The real challenge lies in developing sufficient political commitment and institutional coordination to pursue these objectives relentlessly.

This is where Edo State appears to be providing an important lesson for the rest of the federation. The emerging message from the state is that security must be treated as an urgent priority rather than a secondary administrative responsibility.

Citizens everywhere are watching. Many Nigerians are beginning to ask an important question: If determined action can be initiated at the state level, why can similar energy not be replicated nationally?

The Federal Government possesses far greater resources, broader intelligence capabilities and more extensive security infrastructure than any individual state government.

Therefore, if the same degree of urgency, determination and strategic focus currently visible in Edo State were replicated at the national level, Nigeria could witness a significant reduction in kidnapping activities.
This is not merely a political argument.
It is a practical observation.

The Nigerian people are exhausted.
For years they have endured pain, fear and uncertainty. Families leave home every day uncertain whether they will safely return.
Parents worry whenever children travel.
Businesses factor insecurity into operational costs.

Transport operators avoid certain routes.
Investors hesitate before committing resources.
Tourism suffers.
Agriculture suffers.
Commerce suffers.
National productivity suffers.
The cost of insecurity is measured not only in lives lost but also in opportunities destroyed.

A nation cannot attain its full developmental potential when its citizens live under constant threat. Security remains the foundation upon which every other aspect of national development rests.

Without security, education suffers.
Without security, healthcare suffers.
Without security, agriculture suffers.
Without security, industrialization suffers.
Without security, democracy itself becomes endangered.

Nigeria therefore stands today at a critical crossroads.

The choices made by political leaders in this period will shape public confidence for years to come.

Citizens are yearning for assurance that government remains capable of protecting lives and property.

They want evidence, not promises.
They want results, not rhetoric.
They want action, not excuses.

This is why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and federal security authorities should carefully study the strategic lessons emerging from Edo State’s current anti-kidnapping campaign.

The objective should not necessarily be to copy every tactic mechanically but to understand the underlying principle driving the effort.

That principle is simple:
Criminality must never be allowed to dictate the terms of engagement between government and society.
The state must always remain stronger than criminal networks.
Government must always maintain the initiative.
The law must always prevail.

Wherever kidnappers establish fear, government must establish confidence.
Wherever criminals create uncertainty, government must restore order.
Wherever lawlessness threatens communities, government must respond with authority

Extraordinary security challenges demand extraordinary determination. The moment has come for a comprehensive national offensive against kidnapping. The moment has come to strengthen intelligence systems. The moment has come to deepen inter-agency collaboration. The moment has come to dismantle criminal infrastructures wherever they exist. The moment has come to reassure citizens that their lives matter.
Enough is enough!

The Nigerian people have carried this burden for too long.
They have mourned too many victims.
They have paid too many ransoms.
They have endured too much fear.
They have suffered too many losses.
Every Nigerian deserves the freedom to travel without anxiety.

Every farmer deserves the freedom to cultivate farmland without fear.
Every student deserves the freedom to pursue education without threat.
Every family deserves the freedom to sleep peacefully at night.
Security is not a privilege. It is a fundamental responsibility of government.

As the anti-kidnapping campaign gathers momentum in Edo State, Nigerians across the country will be watching closely. Many will hope that what is beginning as a determined state-level response will ultimately inspire a broader national awakening. If that happens, Governor Monday Okpebholo’s current offensive against kidnapping may become more than a state initiative. It may become a model for restoring public confidence and reclaiming the security of the nation. The fight against kidnapping is not merely a battle against criminals. It is a battle for the soul of Nigeria.

And it is a battle that must be won!

Nowinta Igbotako, is the Executive – Director, Abuja based, Nigeria Good Governance Research Centre, (NGGRC).