For many Nigerians, kidnapping is no longer a distant headline but a daily reality.\u00a0\u00a0Across the country, fear has gradually become part of everyday life.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Families think twice before traveling, parents worry whenever their children leave for school, traders avoid long-distance journeys, and students now live with the fear that a simple trip to class could end in tragedy. Many citizens believe the government’s response has not matched the growing insecurity, leaving ordinary Nigerians to rely on prayers and personal caution rather than confidence in the country’s security system.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Prince, a commercial driver, believes the government has not done enough to address the growing menace. Speaking during an interview on Friday, June 5, 2026, he said every trip he makes is filled with fear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSometimes whenever I drive passengers to their destinations, I am always afraid that one day I could be kidnapped because Nigeria is no longer safe,” he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prince recalled his own terrifying experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOn June 15, 2025, my wife and I were kidnapped here in Abraka at about 10:30 p.m.\u00a0I had just returned from work about an hour earlier. Luckily, we managed to escape.\u00a0If we hadn’t escaped, I don’t even have the money that would have been needed to rescue us,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
READ ALSO: <\/strong>Why Men Suffer More In Silence<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to him, unemployment remains one of the major causes of kidnapping.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf the government can provide employment opportunities for young people, kidnapping will reduce.\u00a0Many people join these criminal activities because they are jobless or influenced by friends after graduating from the university,” he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Mrs. Efeturi Florences, insecurity has robbed many Nigerians of their peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is difficult to sleep nowadays because everywhere feels unsafe. Whenever my children go to school, I pray for their safety because of the children and teachers who have been kidnapped in different parts of the country,” she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n She explained that she no longer travels to distant markets, preferring to have goods transported through waybill services to reduce the risk of being kidnapped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe government should take this situation more seriously and find lasting solutions to stop kidnappers from taking our loved ones,” she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Florences also pointed to the emotional and psychological impact of kidnapping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVictims may suffer depression after their ordeal, especially those who experience abuse while in captivity. Some even lose their lives.\u00a0Poverty and unemployment have contributed to this problem, and kidnapping is no longer targeting only the wealthy; ordinary Nigerians are now victims too,” she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n