For the past half-century years of my life, I never knew I was wasting my time in this world, or maybe as a Nigerian. My parents spent time, energy money etc on me to have a very good education so that I may get a very good job and be useful to my family, my community, my people and my country.
Fifty-three years later, I have been in different jobs, made very little money and I am still trying to find the right job that will adequately feed my family. Now, at this stage, I should not even start thinking of helping my people and country, because I really should be thinking of my own, and my family's survival.
I used to like my job or career. I am considered a professional. In fact, in the UK , I am something of an expert in my chosen profession (at least, that is what employers and head-hunters say to me). I am in the dark here, somebody open the windows for me!
Then I realised I could have been very good in other professions which might definitely raise eyebrows, but knowing how well these businesses are booming and in fact for some of the participants, "crime does pay," I could really do well.
I have several choices: I could be a drug-smuggler; I could be a political thug, a politician or finally, I could choose to be a kidnapper. I will not even consider armed robbery - too dangerous for my health.
Kidnapping is certainly a crime, but in our country, who cares? Corruption is a crime too, at least in most countries of the world, except our dear own country where it is even seen as a necessity or a certain way of life. In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against the person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority. This may be done for ransom or in furtherance of another crime.
It would be difficult to kidnap without also committing false imprisonment, which is the common-law offence of intentionally or recklessly detaining the victim without lawful authority. The use of force to take and detain will also be regarded as an assault, and other related offences may also be committed before, during, or after the detention.
I think for me, kidnapping is the safest option if I want to go criminal and make money. It is certainly lucrative, especially in the South-South and South-East of the country, where the crime was initially introduced by the Niger Delta militants (and I do support them in view of the decades of injustice in that part of Nigeria ; they are rightly aggrieved).
As a humane person, I hate to say this, but when I hear that this politician's mother or father has been kidnapped, or a Niger Delta chief's son has been kidnapped, I tend to think "It serves him right". I am even happy that kidnapping has now moved out of the Niger Delta area and now reached as far north as Kaduna and Maiduguri , while not leaving Lagos out.
There certainly is more than meets the eye in this Soludo kidnapping saga. The Police said five suspects have been caught; the Soludo family said no ransom was paid (what is the point in the kidnapping then?). The Soludo father was dumped at Uga, a neighbouring area to his Isuofia community in Aguata Local council and later picked up by a police team, (How very convenient and lucky?)
Knowing what I know of many such incidents in Nigeria , was the whole thing a hoax to seek public sympathy for Soludo's gubernatorial ambition in Anambra State ? Or was the kidnapping used to raise money for his election campaign?
I am being cynical here. At the height of the Obasanjo administration, kidnapping was at its best and very vicious. Foreign oil workers were the initial targets by the Niger Delta militants. This later turned into a business. It is well known that after a while, some foreign oil workers from certain countries were actually initiating and orchestrating their own kidnap, in collaboration with the kidnappers. They therefore bilk their own employers and share the ransom with the kidnapper.
Very good business for the now-billionaire Niger Delta ex-governors; and you wonder where they got all that money from. If they tell you they did not steal from their state's treasury, maybe they are right. There was a more lucrative way of making money, and the oil companies were paying in dollars, not naira.
This article is intended for you to make your own conclusions, or to stimulate your imagination or your conscience. I rest my pen.
News 
