Kidnappers on camera: Nigeria’s disturbing new reality

By Osordi Ayomide

Kidnappers no longer hide in the shadows, they now display their crimes on social media, showing their faces while daring the system. Shocking?

In recent months, Nigerians have been confronted with a disturbing trend where kidnapping has become a lucrative criminal enterprise leading to a state of public unrest.

Months ago, a young NYSC member was abducted and brutally tortured in a viral video that shocked the nation. He pleaded for mercy, but his captors demanded millions. Even after ransom was paid, silence followed, forcing his family to prepare for the worst. Eventually, after multiple payments and public pressure, he was released.

Now, history appears to be repeating itself. A student of the University of Jos has been kidnapped, with a video of him being flogged circulated among his peers. The perpetrators are demanding ₦30 million.

However, beyond the horror lies a bigger question, how are these criminals so bold? Nigerians are increasingly outraged that kidnappers can openly reveal their identities online, yet remain untracked. This has sparked widespread questions among Nigerians, why is it seemingly easier for authorities to track and arrest social media users over controversial posts, yet so difficult to trace kidnappers who publicly broadcast their crime.

Even more striking, some citizens claim to have identified one suspect through social media, linking him to videos where he appears in the same outfit used during the attack.

This growing pattern points to a troubling reality, kidnapping is fast becoming a public, profitable, and seemingly low-risk crime.

For Nigerians, the fear is no longer just about being kidnapped, it is about a system that appears unable, or unwilling, to stop it.