THE URGENT NEED FOR THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS TO DO MORE IN ADDRESSING THE SPATE OF KIDNAPPING AND CYBER CRIME (AKA YAHOO-YAHOO) IN NIGERIA
October 21, 2022 | News
The Nigerian security operatives are overwhelmed in the fight against this criminal act of kidnapping...
-By Zik Gbemre
THE URGENT NEED FOR THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS TO DO MORE IN ADDRESSING THE SPATE OF KIDNAPPING AND CYBER CRIME (AKA YAHOO-YAHOO) IN NIGERIA
Kidnapping has become a very lucrative business in Nigeria...
The increase in the kidnapping is also traceable to the criminal and ritualist activities by cyber criminals (aka Yahoo-yahoo)...
The Nigerian security operatives are overwhelmed in the fight against this criminal act of kidnapping...
Without a doubt, kidnapping, which is the taking away of a person against the person's will, usually for ransom or in furtherance of another crime, has become everyone’s nightmare in our dear country Nigeria. No one is spared nor is anyone safe any longer from the hands of kidnappers, which is now considered to as a ‘Profession’ and a very lucrative business by criminally-minded persons across the country. From public office holders, the elites and down to Teachers, Medical practitioners and what have you; everyone has become a potential candidate for these professional kidnappers. And we honestly believe there is a need for the Federal and State Governments, and relevant Security Authorities to intensify more efforts in funding and equipping Security Operatives across the country with modern technological gadgets and tracking channels, to promptly address this menace of kidnapping in the country.
Recently, one of my customers was kidnapped in Ekpan, near Warri Delta State. Only to see herself in Onitsha, Anambra State. Her husband, narrated to me how his wife went to the bank in Ekpan to do some transactions because she runs a POS (Point Of Sale) business in Ubeji, Delta State. After her bank transactions, she boarded a tricycle (aka Keke) right opposite the Ekpan Police station on shatter because she was pressed.
While on their way, the Keke man then stopped to carry a man said to be in an army uniform. She started questioning the Keke rider for carrying another passenger when she had taken him for shatter. And that she wasn't going to pay him the complete fair. It was at this point the supposed army officer showed her a gun to keep her quiet and have her corporate with him. That was how they took her through the Link road after the Ekpan Police station to arrive at Niger cart junction, where there was already a stationed black-tinted Benz car waiting for them.
Inside the said car was another kidnapped victim (a girl). And another fake army uniform man was in the front passenger seat of the car. They immediately drove off from Warri straight to the Ughelli axis. It was at this point that the kidnappers covered their faces with clothes so that they will not know where they were being taken to.
With all the distance they drove, we can imagine that no police checkpoint could stop them because apparently when they see a tinted car with supposed military personnel seated inside, they let them pass through.
The lady in question revealed that it was one uncompleted building where she found herself with the other victim when they eventually opened their eyes. And she also met other girls who were victims as well, which made them eight in total.
To cut the story short. The kidnappers called the lady's husband to negotiate her ransom, which he was able to pay after two days of serious begging for the kidnappers to manage what he could gather. Which they eventually collected from him and later freed the wife.
One thing the lady noted was how she was surprised by the fact that the very Keke man that had carried from Ekpan to Ubeji, also came to Onitsha (Anambra state) where they kept them to collect his own share of the ransom. She got to know this when the Keke man, who wore a mask on his face, asked her: "madam nor be me carry you from Ekpan by the bank? She nodded her head, to settle the argument between the said Keke man and the kidnappers. They eventually released her and gave her N2000 to find her way back to Warri, after they dropped her around the Agbor axis. The lady also narrated how one girl was killed in her presence when her people were trying to track the kidnappers. And they called one Hausa man who came there and butchered her body to be used for rituals. It was at this moment that she feared for her life, and begged her husband not to contact the police, or to track her phone when she was allowed to call her husband. The lady also revealed that she got to know that there are three Kekes (commercial tricycles) that are doing this criminal business in Warri and its environs.
I decided to share this true story that happened just four weeks ago in Warri so that we would understand that these sorts of kidnappings are happening almost every day. And little or nothing is being done to address the ugly trend.
Every worker, both in the private and public sectors, as well as business persons, is all potential targets for these kidnappers. No one is safe. The kidnappers have their networks and contacts everywhere to help them carry out their crime of kidnapping. But how do we live in a country where this sort of insecurity is spreading like wildfire without any hope of abating?
I am sure many of us have read or heard about the arrest of a notorious kidnapper named John Lyon Ewa from Bayelsa State. Many thoughts was a hardworking businessman, and a former dispatch rider of a bank for that matter, because he was always flaunting his choice cars on social media. Who knows, Lyon must have leaked details of many of the bank customers when he was working in the banks. Many thought he was a genuine and responsible person. Not knowing he is a deadly super rich kidnapper.
It is only when these criminals are caught that we get to know the type of businesses they are actually into and not what they display for all to see. Some of these self-acclaimed 'big boys' who always show off their wealth online are nothing but criminals in disguise. Oftentimes, before they are caught, they are seen as role models to many people, mostly the youths of today that love flashy men. You will hear them say this guy is soft oh! I like to be like him. But when luck runs out of their so-called role models, everybody gets to know what kind of businesses they are really into, and their real source of wealth. Some of the Kidnappers who are caught, often look gentle and harmless like someone who cannot even hurt a fly, much less hurt human beings.
Recently, particularly in Delta State, there was a public call by some youths for "EndEFCC", to the extent that they blocked the popular Effurun roundabout displaying various placards. This is to us, not only shameful as Deltans but should be considered a criminal act. And the only reason for the said EndEFCC move by the Delta State, youths, was because some of their mates engaged in internet fraud (aka Yahoo-yahoo) were arrested and detained by the antigraft agency. One begins to wonder, does that justify the actions of said youth who were constituting a public nuisance? Were they hoping to start this move like the EndSARS movement? Or were they trying to gain public sympathy? Whatever it is, their actions were not justifiable.
No responsible leader will allow this to sort criminality and nonsense to thrive in society. These Yahoo boys have gone from being cyber criminals to outright ritualists, just to make quick money. This is also the reason kidnapping cases across the country has gone up in recent times because those kidnapped are used by these Yahoo boys for money rituals.
The Osun State Police Command recently issued a public Alert to warn the Nigerian populace of how these Yahoo ritualist boys operate. Using the example of the Two ritualists that were arrested with some female body parts at about 9:30 PM in a hotel where they had lodged. The names of the criminals are Ayodeji Shaheed and Tunde Obadimeji, who both confessed that more than 70 girls have been slaughtered by them and they sold their body parts to one Abafe Sadiq at N600,000 for each girl. According to them, they lure girls with hired fancy cars and with cash.
Without a doubt, these young people who call themselves Yahoo-yahoo fraudsters should repent from their sinful ways and look for something useful to do legitimately do to earn a living. We hear that some parents even buy expensive phones and laptops for their children to engage in this Yahoo-yahoo so-called business of defrauding people. While some parents also pay known fraudsters to train their children in this internet fraud.
It is really sad and appalling that most of these Yahoo fraudsters are being encouraged by their parents. This is because they build houses that are well-furnished for their parents to live in. Including buying flashy cars for themselves and their parents. Yet, these parents don't ask their children about the sources of their wealth. The parents are not bothered at all. All they want to see in the children is get money by any means necessary. But how can a young boy between the ages of 17 to 24, with no legitimate means of income, yet buying flashy cars and also give the same to their parents. This makes these parents happy, and they even display the cars and mansions built for them on social media. It is really disturbing.
Agreed that the government of the day at all levels have failed to provide the conducive business atmosphere needed to generate employment for young College/University graduates, but that shouldn't give them the reason to engage in defrauding people, kidnapping people for rituals - all in the name of earning a living.
While this problem should also be addressed from the home front by parents and guardians, the bottom line is that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has not been helping one bit on this insecurity issue. Train and vehicle travellers are no longer safe on Nigerian rails and roads respectively.
It is a sad reality that kidnapping crime has become a lucrative business today in Nigeria, and many young people are into it. It is now gainful employment. Aside from those who carry out the actual kidnap, there are also those who are just informants - ranging from drivers, mechanics, Keke drivers, POs owners, and even close friends and relatives.
All of these aspects of insecurity that are today booming criminal trades in the country are signs of a failed state. Though, kidnapping can be said to have started in Delta with the kidnapping of expatriate oil workers in Delta creeks, particularly during the era of James Ibori as governor of Delta State. And they were paid big ransoms. And when they no longer get white people to kidnap, they then started kidnapping black oil workers. Today, kidnapping has spread into every corner of the entire country. The kidnap case of the Chibok girls is one sad tale that readily comes to mind. Many Nigerians have lost their lives through this criminal trend of kidnapping. Those who dared to track the phones of kidnappers of their relatives, often lose their loved ones.
The Nigerian security operatives are simply overwhelmed and helpless in the fight against this criminal act of kidnapping. As it is right now, Nigerians are simply in the mercy of their divine protector.
Zik Gbemre
October 21, 2022
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
-By Zik Gbemre
THE URGENT NEED FOR THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS TO DO MORE IN ADDRESSING THE SPATE OF KIDNAPPING AND CYBER CRIME (AKA YAHOO-YAHOO) IN NIGERIA
Kidnapping has become a very lucrative business in Nigeria...
The increase in the kidnapping is also traceable to the criminal and ritualist activities by cyber criminals (aka Yahoo-yahoo)...
The Nigerian security operatives are overwhelmed in the fight against this criminal act of kidnapping...
Without a doubt, kidnapping, which is the taking away of a person against the person's will, usually for ransom or in furtherance of another crime, has become everyone’s nightmare in our dear country Nigeria. No one is spared nor is anyone safe any longer from the hands of kidnappers, which is now considered to as a ‘Profession’ and a very lucrative business by criminally-minded persons across the country. From public office holders, the elites and down to Teachers, Medical practitioners and what have you; everyone has become a potential candidate for these professional kidnappers. And we honestly believe there is a need for the Federal and State Governments, and relevant Security Authorities to intensify more efforts in funding and equipping Security Operatives across the country with modern technological gadgets and tracking channels, to promptly address this menace of kidnapping in the country.
Recently, one of my customers was kidnapped in Ekpan, near Warri Delta State. Only to see herself in Onitsha, Anambra State. Her husband, narrated to me how his wife went to the bank in Ekpan to do some transactions because she runs a POS (Point Of Sale) business in Ubeji, Delta State. After her bank transactions, she boarded a tricycle (aka Keke) right opposite the Ekpan Police station on shatter because she was pressed.
While on their way, the Keke man then stopped to carry a man said to be in an army uniform. She started questioning the Keke rider for carrying another passenger when she had taken him for shatter. And that she wasn't going to pay him the complete fair. It was at this point the supposed army officer showed her a gun to keep her quiet and have her corporate with him. That was how they took her through the Link road after the Ekpan Police station to arrive at Niger cart junction, where there was already a stationed black-tinted Benz car waiting for them.
Inside the said car was another kidnapped victim (a girl). And another fake army uniform man was in the front passenger seat of the car. They immediately drove off from Warri straight to the Ughelli axis. It was at this point that the kidnappers covered their faces with clothes so that they will not know where they were being taken to.
With all the distance they drove, we can imagine that no police checkpoint could stop them because apparently when they see a tinted car with supposed military personnel seated inside, they let them pass through.
The lady in question revealed that it was one uncompleted building where she found herself with the other victim when they eventually opened their eyes. And she also met other girls who were victims as well, which made them eight in total.
To cut the story short. The kidnappers called the lady's husband to negotiate her ransom, which he was able to pay after two days of serious begging for the kidnappers to manage what he could gather. Which they eventually collected from him and later freed the wife.
One thing the lady noted was how she was surprised by the fact that the very Keke man that had carried from Ekpan to Ubeji, also came to Onitsha (Anambra state) where they kept them to collect his own share of the ransom. She got to know this when the Keke man, who wore a mask on his face, asked her: "madam nor be me carry you from Ekpan by the bank? She nodded her head, to settle the argument between the said Keke man and the kidnappers. They eventually released her and gave her N2000 to find her way back to Warri, after they dropped her around the Agbor axis. The lady also narrated how one girl was killed in her presence when her people were trying to track the kidnappers. And they called one Hausa man who came there and butchered her body to be used for rituals. It was at this moment that she feared for her life, and begged her husband not to contact the police, or to track her phone when she was allowed to call her husband. The lady also revealed that she got to know that there are three Kekes (commercial tricycles) that are doing this criminal business in Warri and its environs.
I decided to share this true story that happened just four weeks ago in Warri so that we would understand that these sorts of kidnappings are happening almost every day. And little or nothing is being done to address the ugly trend.
Every worker, both in the private and public sectors, as well as business persons, is all potential targets for these kidnappers. No one is safe. The kidnappers have their networks and contacts everywhere to help them carry out their crime of kidnapping. But how do we live in a country where this sort of insecurity is spreading like wildfire without any hope of abating?
I am sure many of us have read or heard about the arrest of a notorious kidnapper named John Lyon Ewa from Bayelsa State. Many thoughts was a hardworking businessman, and a former dispatch rider of a bank for that matter, because he was always flaunting his choice cars on social media. Who knows, Lyon must have leaked details of many of the bank customers when he was working in the banks. Many thought he was a genuine and responsible person. Not knowing he is a deadly super rich kidnapper.
It is only when these criminals are caught that we get to know the type of businesses they are actually into and not what they display for all to see. Some of these self-acclaimed 'big boys' who always show off their wealth online are nothing but criminals in disguise. Oftentimes, before they are caught, they are seen as role models to many people, mostly the youths of today that love flashy men. You will hear them say this guy is soft oh! I like to be like him. But when luck runs out of their so-called role models, everybody gets to know what kind of businesses they are really into, and their real source of wealth. Some of the Kidnappers who are caught, often look gentle and harmless like someone who cannot even hurt a fly, much less hurt human beings.
Recently, particularly in Delta State, there was a public call by some youths for "EndEFCC", to the extent that they blocked the popular Effurun roundabout displaying various placards. This is to us, not only shameful as Deltans but should be considered a criminal act. And the only reason for the said EndEFCC move by the Delta State, youths, was because some of their mates engaged in internet fraud (aka Yahoo-yahoo) were arrested and detained by the antigraft agency. One begins to wonder, does that justify the actions of said youth who were constituting a public nuisance? Were they hoping to start this move like the EndSARS movement? Or were they trying to gain public sympathy? Whatever it is, their actions were not justifiable.
No responsible leader will allow this to sort criminality and nonsense to thrive in society. These Yahoo boys have gone from being cyber criminals to outright ritualists, just to make quick money. This is also the reason kidnapping cases across the country has gone up in recent times because those kidnapped are used by these Yahoo boys for money rituals.
The Osun State Police Command recently issued a public Alert to warn the Nigerian populace of how these Yahoo ritualist boys operate. Using the example of the Two ritualists that were arrested with some female body parts at about 9:30 PM in a hotel where they had lodged. The names of the criminals are Ayodeji Shaheed and Tunde Obadimeji, who both confessed that more than 70 girls have been slaughtered by them and they sold their body parts to one Abafe Sadiq at N600,000 for each girl. According to them, they lure girls with hired fancy cars and with cash.
Without a doubt, these young people who call themselves Yahoo-yahoo fraudsters should repent from their sinful ways and look for something useful to do legitimately do to earn a living. We hear that some parents even buy expensive phones and laptops for their children to engage in this Yahoo-yahoo so-called business of defrauding people. While some parents also pay known fraudsters to train their children in this internet fraud.
It is really sad and appalling that most of these Yahoo fraudsters are being encouraged by their parents. This is because they build houses that are well-furnished for their parents to live in. Including buying flashy cars for themselves and their parents. Yet, these parents don't ask their children about the sources of their wealth. The parents are not bothered at all. All they want to see in the children is get money by any means necessary. But how can a young boy between the ages of 17 to 24, with no legitimate means of income, yet buying flashy cars and also give the same to their parents. This makes these parents happy, and they even display the cars and mansions built for them on social media. It is really disturbing.
Agreed that the government of the day at all levels have failed to provide the conducive business atmosphere needed to generate employment for young College/University graduates, but that shouldn't give them the reason to engage in defrauding people, kidnapping people for rituals - all in the name of earning a living.
While this problem should also be addressed from the home front by parents and guardians, the bottom line is that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has not been helping one bit on this insecurity issue. Train and vehicle travellers are no longer safe on Nigerian rails and roads respectively.
It is a sad reality that kidnapping crime has become a lucrative business today in Nigeria, and many young people are into it. It is now gainful employment. Aside from those who carry out the actual kidnap, there are also those who are just informants - ranging from drivers, mechanics, Keke drivers, POs owners, and even close friends and relatives.
All of these aspects of insecurity that are today booming criminal trades in the country are signs of a failed state. Though, kidnapping can be said to have started in Delta with the kidnapping of expatriate oil workers in Delta creeks, particularly during the era of James Ibori as governor of Delta State. And they were paid big ransoms. And when they no longer get white people to kidnap, they then started kidnapping black oil workers. Today, kidnapping has spread into every corner of the entire country. The kidnap case of the Chibok girls is one sad tale that readily comes to mind. Many Nigerians have lost their lives through this criminal trend of kidnapping. Those who dared to track the phones of kidnappers of their relatives, often lose their loved ones.
The Nigerian security operatives are simply overwhelmed and helpless in the fight against this criminal act of kidnapping. As it is right now, Nigerians are simply in the mercy of their divine protector.
Zik Gbemre
October 21, 2022
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes