Amidst growing concerns over the escalating kidnapping crisis in Nigeria, Senate President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Henry Okunomo, has expressed deep frustration with the inability of security agencies to track down kidnappers despite the country’s significant technological advancements.
During a recent television appearance to discuss the ongoing abduction of his colleagues, Okunomo voiced his dissatisfaction with the current state of security in Nigeria.
He questioned how kidnappers manage to evade capture even after making contact with victims’ families and being caught on video.
“I am not satisfied with the way security agencies are going about the matter.
The government cannot tell me there is no other way this kidnapping thing can be nipped in the bud.
After all, there are several measures already in place, why are they not working?” Okunomo stated.
Okunomo’s concerns highlight the perceived ineffectiveness of several government-implemented security measures, including the SIM card registration initiated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in 2011, the National Identity Number (NIN) enrolment by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in 2015, and the NIN-SIM linkage exercise carried out by the Federal Government in 2020.
Additionally, the NigComSat-1R communications satellite, launched into orbit in 2012, was intended to bolster national security.
These initiatives were designed to enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies to track and apprehend criminals using mobile devices.
However, kidnappers continue to operate with impunity, often making ransom demands via phone calls without being apprehended.
In a case that underscores these frustrations, Mallam Yushau Jangeme, a kidnap victim from Zamfara State, recounted how security agents failed to trace the phone calls made by his abductors.
Despite providing the kidnappers’ phone numbers to the authorities, Jangeme was still forced to deliver N1.4 million in ransom to secure his release, only to be detained by the kidnappers for failing to meet their full demand of N3 million.
The situation has left many Nigerians questioning the effectiveness of the measures in place.
Public affairs commentator, Mr. Chike Ogbu, expressed similar concerns, stating, “We have had all manner of SIM activity registrations in this country.
We have had Identity registrations and we have a communications satellite.
Which one of them is not functioning or which agency of government is not releasing sensitive information necessary for picking these renegades?
What is actually the problem, or are our security agents complicit?”
The NCC, however, insists that the fault does not lie with them.
A top official from the Commission, speaking anonymously, explained that the NIN-SIM linkage deadline was strictly enforced to clean up the country’s SIM ownership database and prevent criminals from using multiple unlinked SIMs for illegal activities.
“From our interim findings, the owners of these lines did not purchase them for decent purposes or to undertake legitimate activities.
We gave them enough time to make the decision of which of their lines they wanted to keep and discard the others.
They did not. All lines in this category with unverified NINs were barred,” the official stated.
The official further clarified that the NCC’s role does not extend to tracking and arresting individuals making calls, but rather to supporting security agencies with relevant data when requested.
Similarly, a satellite engineer at the Nigerian Communications Satellite Company (NIGCOMSAT LTD), who also requested anonymity, emphasized that while the satellite gathers valuable data, the responsibility for acting on this information rests with the security agencies.
He dispelled the misconception that the satellite could capture images or videos of crime scenes, explaining that it is a communications satellite that provides digital footprints and data that security agencies can analyze.
Despite these reassurances, the continued ability of kidnappers to operate unchecked has led to mounting public frustration, with calls for greater accountability and efficiency from Nigeria’s security agencies.
