Since the well-publicised abduction in 2014 of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok by Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State, more armed groups have resorted to mass abductions.

*Highest number of kidnap cases, 27, was in February with 605 victims; followed by July, 23, and January, 21, with 327 and 284 victims, respectively.

*The timeline below(from the latest) shows how thriving kidnapping has become and the perpetrators “no dey look face”: Monarch, government officials and pregnant women, young or old, can be taken and/or killed.

AUGUST

*3rd : Police kill three kidnappers, rescue commissioner’s wife and driver in Benue

*5th: Bandits kidnap father of Zamfara Assembly Speaker, five others

9th: Gunmen kidnap Niger Commissioner for Information

*9th: Pastor, wife, 27 others kidnapped in Kwara

*12: Gunmen abduct ex-councillor’s wife, 7-month-old son in Zamfara

JULY

*3rd: Bandits abduct 7 women, 4 children along Birnin Gwari Road

*5th: Boko Haram abducts Rev. Fr. Elijah Juma Wada of Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri

*5th: Gunmen attack National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Centre in Kaduna, kidnap 8

*5th: 150 students abducted from Kaduna school

*6th: Gunmen kidnap 4 farmers in Ekiti

*8th: 16 kidnapped by gunmen in Damishi, Kaduna State

*8th: Bandits demand N220 million as ransom for 11 persons abducted from Anguwan Gimbiya, a suburb of Kaduna State

*11th: Emir of Kajuru, 13 family members, aides, kidnapped in Kaduna

*13th: Kogi monarch kidnapped

*14th: Wife of former LGA Chairman kidnapped in Jigawa

*16th: Former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. Hussaini Ahmed, killed, in-law kidnapped by bandits along Lokoja-Abuja highway.

*18th: Bandits kill one, abduct 7 in attack in Kaduna

*18th: Bandits attack two vehicles, abduct six occupants around Bade forest in Kaduna

*19th: Gunmen kidnap medical doctor in Kogi

*19th: Five kidnap suspects set ablaze in Edo

*19th: Gunmen hijack boat, abduct 5 maritime union workers, 3 others in Rivers

*19th: Armed herders abduct, kill 2 aid workers, Gov Ortom’s relation, 5 others in Benue

*21st: Kidnappers abduct 38-year-old man in Jigawa

*21st: Bayelsa SSG’s mother kidnapped

*25th: Gunmen hijack 3 buses, kill 2, abduct 60 passengers in Sokoto

*26th: Bandits abduct monarch in Kaduna, demand N100m ransom

*30th: Unknown gunmen kidnap night club operator in Bayelsa

*2nd: 200 pupils of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina, Niger State abducted.

JUNE

*4th: Bandits kidnap 2 Kaduna nurses

*8th: Kidnappers abduct Abuja tailor, Mary Adi

*9th: Abductors kidnap Dr Dan Ella, a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Jos.

*14th: Ekiti farmer, Jimoh Olodan, kidnapped

*17th: Armed bandits strike, abduct students at Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State.

*28th: Ekiti monarch, Oba Benjamin Oso, kidnapped

*28th: One Lukman Ibrahim kidnapped, pregnant wife killed in Offa, Kwara State

*30th: Bandits kidnap students of Bethel Baptist School, Kaduna; and Peter Jediel, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Taraba State

MAY

*2nd: Kogi council chairman abducted

*12th: Ondo graduate abducted

*16th: Ondo pastor, Otamayomi Ogedengbe kidnapped

*29th: Katsina Sharia Court Judge, Alkali Hussaini Sama’ila, kidnapped

*30th: Armed gang abducts over 100 students from an Islamic school in Niger State.

*30th: Nasarawa State House of Assembly member, Ismail Danbaba, abducted in Kaduna

*6th: Kidnappers kill Lagos-based pastor in Ondo after collecting N2m ransom

*7th: Kidnappers abduct 2 Chinese miners in Osun State

APRIL

*19th: Masked armed men kidnap 2 Fulani in Oke-Ogun, Oyo State

*20th: Gunmen kidnap 20 students, 2 staff members of Greenfield University, Kaduna

*23th: Ekiti traditional ruler, Oba David Oyewumi, abducted

*26th: Three kidnapped construction workers in Ondo released

*27th: Nursing mother, 8 others in Ogbomoso, Oyo State abducted

*8th: Bandits kidnap 30 in Rafi LGA of Niger State

MARCH

*11th: Gunmen kidnapped 39 College of Forestry, Afaka, Kaduna

*23rd: Gunmen kidnap FCTA staff members, 3 others

*28th: Abductors of RCCG members in Kaduna demand N50m ransom

*29th: Kidnappers of Sarkin Hausa younger brother in Osun demand N50 million ransom

FEBRUARY

*1st: Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Arwan, says some people abducted when bandits attacked Barawa village, Fatika District, in Giwa LGA of the state.

*1st: Peace Ogbogbo, wife of an Ughelli businessman in Ughelli North LGA, Delta State, kidnapped

*2nd: The police in Abuja confirm abduction of John Makama, father of Gwari Local Council Chairman

*2nd: 40 people kidnapped in a renewed bandit attack on Shiroro communities in Niger State

6th: A farmer, Solomon Akinmeji in Iju Akure North Council Area of Ondo State, kidnapped

*9th: Gunmen attack ambulance conveying a corpse, killing an occupant and abducting one at Ahor, Benin Bye-pass, Edo State

*9th: Jimoh Folowosele, an indigene of Aramoko Ekiti, in Ekiti West LGA, abducted while on official duty in Geidam, a border town in Yobe State

*9th: A 46-year-old tipper lorry owner in Ilorin, Alhaji Musa Atere, kidnapped along Ogundele/Madi Road in Ilorin LGA of Kwara State.

*10th: Unidentified gunmen kidnap seven travellers on Benin-Warri Highway at Sapele Oghara axis

*13th: The traditional ruler of Uruagu, Nnewi, Anambra State abducted. The victim, Obi Charles Afam Obi, kidnapped in Orafite on his way back from a burial ceremony

*13th: Bandits kidnap 13 persons in Faskari LGA of Katsina on their way to Funtua to access poverty alleviation loans

*14th: 18 persons abducted by bandits, who ambushed a passenger bus in Rah LGA of Niger State

*15th: No fewer than 20 villagers from different communities in Rafi LGA of Niger State kidnapped.

*17th: 42 persons out of which 27 were students were among those kidnapped from Government Science College, Kagara in Rafi LGA of Niger State

*18th: Bandits invade communities in Shiroro, LGA of Niger State, kidnapped no fewer than 10 persons after killing two

*18th: Gunmen kidnap 91-year-old traditional ruler of Kunduru community in Katsina State

*20th: The driver of Adamawa United Football Club, Kabiru Mohammed, kidnapped on Benin-Ore Highway

*21st: University of Ibadan student, Emmanuel Odetunde, abducted around while working at his father’s poultry farm in Oke Odan, Apete area of Ibadan, Oyo State

*22nd: 81-year-old, Chief Bassy Iyamba, kidnapped from his house in Calabar South LGA, Cross River State

*23rd: Lecturer at the Department of Linguistics and Communication, University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Jones, and traditional ruler in Rivers State abducted by suspected kidnappers, who also attacked journalists of the Rivers State Television, RSTV.

*24th: Scores of travellers abducted by suspected Boko Haram members along Maiduguri-Damaturu Highway.

*25th: No fewer than 317 students of Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe, Talata Mafara LGA, Zamfara State, abducted by bandits.

*27th: Bandits kill six persons and kidnapped 15 others in attacks on communities in two LGAs of Niger State.

JANUARY

*4th: Kidnappers abduct Senior Protection Assistant with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, Abubakar Idris, along Damaturu Road, Borno State

*4th: Gunmen kidnap a medical doctor, Akindele Kayode, from a Health Care Centre at Tapa in Ibarapa North Local Government Area, LGA, Oyo State

*5th: In Niger State, residents of Yakila community in Rafi LGA attacked by bandits, who kidnapped village head, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdul, a nurse and her two kids.

*5th: No fewer than 40 persons kidnapped in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, according to Birnin Gwari Progressive Union

*5th: Gunmen kill one person, abduct over 20 others along Mungi Buga in Gwari Gadabule village in Toto LGA, Nasarawa State

*5th: Traveller abducted, driver killed along Ise Isua -Akoko Highway, Ondo State

*6th: Fashion designer’s apprentice in Ondo town, Ondo State, kidnaps lover’s three month–old- baby girl

*5th: Zamfara State Police Command says kidnappers struck at Kaduari village in Maru LGA and kidnapped six children of one Alhaji Sabi Gyare

*12th: A lecturer with Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic in Bori LGA of Rivers State, simply identified as Mr. James, abducted by gunmen at his residence in Ugwurutali, Ikwere LGA.

*13th: Gunmen kidnap four nursing mothers alongside 14 others in Mando village, Birnin Gwari LGA, Kaduna State.

*14th: Ekiti-based petrol dealer, Suleiman Akinbami, kidnapped

*15th: A kidnap attempt claimed the lives of Alhaji Yinusa Gambo and Mallam Surajo at Chikaji village, Igabi LGA, Kaduna State

*20th: Dean, Faculty of Science and Education and Head of Department of Mathematics, Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, Professor Johnson Fatokun, abducted along Akwanga-Keffi highway at Kurmi Shinkafa village

*23rd: 25-year-old son of Bauchi State Auditor-General, Ziilkifiru Muhammed, escapes from kidnappers’ den. Mohammed was kidnapped alongside his father’s friend, Tiyasu Suleiman, along Bauchi- Tafawa Belewa Highway after the Auditor General, Abdu Aliu was shot.

*24th: Bandits invade Kafin Koro and adjourning villages in Paikoro LGA of Niger State, kill five persons and abduct one while 10 others sustain various degrees of injury.

*24th: A spokesperson for Nigeria Immigration Service, Edo State Command, Mrs. Bridget Esene, kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Benin. She says her abductors sold her to herdsmen.

*25th: Kidnappers attack Raphael Orphanage Home in Abaji Area Council of the FCT, Abuja, abducting at least eight children and three others.

*25th: The wife of the late Zonal Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kogi State, Matthew Kola-Ojo, is among 14 people kidnapped between Ife and Egbeda in Ijumu Council Area of Kogi State

*26th: A former councilor in Nkari Ward 4 in Ini LGA of Akwa Ibom State, Benjamin Akpan, says four persons abducted after an attack in the area.

*27th: An aide to the member representing Oru West Constituency in Imo State House of Assembly, Dominic Ezerioha, abducted by gunmen

*28th: 83 persons including 27 wedding guests abducted along Wukari- Takum Road in Taraba State. 56 kidnapped in Niger State.

Many other unreported incidents may have taken place, especially in Niger, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina states (North-West and North-Central), where banditry is raging.

Thus, the sum total may well be above 111 if all cases were captured.

Cartoon Credit: Vanguard

(VANGUARD)