Our Roads, Their Hunting Ground: The Kidnapping Crisis In Kogi -By Idris Rufai

Nigeria is gradually becoming a country where insecurity is no longer an occasional concern but an everyday reality. The reported kidnapping incident that occurred on 27 August 2026 along the Ojuwo–Olijo axis of the Anyigba–Lokoja road in Kogi State has once again raised serious questions about the safety of citizens and the effectiveness of security measures in the country.

How long are Nigerians expected to continue living in fear?

The latest incident is particularly disturbing because it reportedly occurred along an important route connecting communities and linking Anyigba with Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State. For ordinary Nigerians who depend on these roads for their businesses, education, farming, transportation and other daily activities, travelling has increasingly become a matter of anxiety rather than convenience.
What makes the situation even more worrying is the reported recurrence of kidnapping incidents within the same general axis. Within this month alone, there have reportedly been two separate kidnapping incidents around the Anyigba–Lokoja corridor, including the earlier incident around the Itobe–Ofu axis. Although the locations may differ, they are connected by the same broader road corridor leading towards Lokoja.

This raises a fundamental question: Why are criminal elements repeatedly able to operate along such important routes?

Kogi State is not without security personnel and institutions. The establishment of the 21 Battalion military facility in Anyigba has been presented as part of efforts to strengthen security and improve the protection of communities in the area. With such security infrastructure and the presence of security agencies, citizens have every reason to expect stronger protection.

Yet, when kidnappers can reportedly strike repeatedly within a relatively short period, ordinary citizens are left wondering whether the existing security arrangements are sufficient, whether security personnel have the necessary equipment and intelligence, or whether there are weaknesses in the coordination and deployment of security resources.

These questions deserve serious answers.
Security should not exist merely in the form of uniforms, checkpoints, barracks or official statements. Security must be felt by the people. A farmer travelling to his farm, a student returning to school, a trader transporting goods, or a family travelling from one community to another should not have to constantly wonder whether they will arrive safely.

Kidnapping has become so widespread in Nigeria that it sometimes appears to have been transformed into an alternative criminal economy. Criminal groups abduct citizens for ransom, families struggle to raise money, communities live in fear, and roads that should facilitate economic activities become associated with danger.

The consequences go beyond the victims and their families. Insecurity damages the economy. When people are afraid to travel, businesses suffer. When farmers fear going to their farms, food production is affected. When traders avoid certain routes, transportation costs increase. When parents fear sending their children to school or travelling to visit them, the social fabric of society is weakened.

This is why the government must treat insecurity not simply as another headline in the daily news cycle but as a national emergency requiring sustained action.

The relevant authorities must strengthen intelligence gathering, improve surveillance along vulnerable roads, increase effective security patrols and ensure better coordination among the military, police and other security agencies. Security personnel must also be adequately equipped and properly motivated to perform their duties.

At the same time, the government must recognise that security is not solely the responsibility of uniformed personnel. Local communities can play an important role through responsible information sharing and cooperation with security agencies. However, citizens should never be expected to confront armed criminals themselves. The responsibility for protecting lives and property ultimately rests with the state.

The people of Kogi State, particularly those who regularly use the Anyigba–Lokoja corridor, deserve to travel without fear. They deserve to conduct their businesses, attend school, visit relatives and pursue their livelihoods without becoming potential victims of kidnapping.
Nigeria cannot continue to normalise insecurity.
Every kidnapping should not become another story that dominates the news for a few days before being forgotten. Every victim is a human being with a family, dreams and a right to live freely. The value of a citizen’s life cannot be measured by the amount of ransom demanded by criminals.

The government must therefore act decisively. The question is no longer whether insecurity exists; Nigerians already know that it does. The question is what concrete measures are being taken to stop it?

Our people are tired of living in fear. They are tired of hearing about attacks, abductions and ransom demands. They want to live in a country where security is a reality rather than a promise.

The time to act is now.

If the government fails to protect citizens from persistent insecurity, it risks losing the confidence of the very people it is constitutionally expected to protect.
Nigeria must be safe not only for the powerful, but also for the ordinary Nigerian. Our lives matter, our livelihoods matter, and our right to live without fear must be protected.
This is a call for action.