Kantin Kwari traders saga

It was an archetypal kidnap case. The Kantin Kwari traders were seized on their way to Aba, from their Kano base.

Their bus was attacked along Lokoja-Okene Expressway and they were abducted and made to undergo all the rituals associated with kidnap sagas – the long, arduous walk into the forests, the heart-stopping negotiations for ransom with their relations and debilitating conditions in the middle of nowhere. Majority of them are just your average traders with capital of N100,000 or thereabout, on their way to Aba to buy textile goods to stock up their shops back in Kano.

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The traders normally take the night bus to save on hotel bills. Reaching Aba in the morning, they do their purchases and jump on the next bus back to Kano. Their luck run out that night and they fell into the hands of these lawless characters. What was unique about their saga was that the negotiations for their release and the efforts to raise the money was all done in the public domain. When they were eventually released, one of them was interviewed by a BBC Hausa Service reporter. It was a harrowing account by all proportions.

A colleague, Dr Nuraddeen Auwal, had also listened to the interview and was so struck by it that he sat down to translate it into English and attached his comments. I extracted the comments which I reproduce below:

“After listening to this interview, I was struck by several things. First of all, this account is a replication of what so many other people have gone through. What I found striking about this incidence is the detailed, obviously authentic account narrated by Abba Hamza.

“The second thing that struck me is the total abysmal failure at all formal levels of authority: from the traders association, to local government authority, to state government and finally to the federal authorities. This is truly tragic! It raises the fundamental question of what is the purpose of government?  Do we really have anything like a government? At the end of day, it took the generous, good hearted efforts of friends and family to rescue these poor people.

“The third thing that struck me is the fact that whenever something significant happens in our society it takes a foreign news organisation (like the BBC) to address and raise pertinent enquiries. Meanwhile, we have tons of indigenous news media (print and electronic) organisations. This in itself is a dimension of failure.

“Then we come to subject matter of kidnapping (along with banditry)! It has grown into a thriving, indeed booming industry in both urban and rural environments. Listening to the account by Abba Hamza, it is clear to me that kidnapping pays handsomely. It is growing unchallenged despite the fact that it threatens our lives and livelihoods. Those who had the misfortune of experiencing it directly go through the most horrific and torturing ordeal one could ever imagine. It would appear to me, as an ordinary (non-expert) person, that kidnapping is enjoying three enablers, with the common denominator of anonymity.

“Enabler No. 1 is the Anonymity of Cash. Cash is, to a large extent anonymous. It is difficult to identify and trace. That is why it is the ideal medium of bribery, corruption and kidnapping. However, cash in the quantity of twenty-five million is too much to remain anonymous if a reasonable effort is to be made. After all each unit of currency bears a unique number. With some effort, it is feasible to lift the cloak of anonymity and trace these monies and eventually the kidnappers. Without going into details, for me, this is yet another dimension of abysmal failure of government.

Enabler No. 2 is the Anonymity of Bush. Typically, many kidnapped victims are taken to the bush. The ‘Bush Fulani’ who are the foot soldiers (the master puppeteers are in the cities) of the kidnapping industry, have a mastery of the bush terrain. Once they take their prey into the bush, they become anonymous, untraceable. Again, I see this as an evidence of failure. With massive commitment and resources, the anonymity of the bush can be lifted. But it cannot be done with the fashionable Operation this, Operation that out security officials periodically undertake: those are but cosmetic efforts.

“Enabler No. 3 is the Anonymity of Unregistered Mobile Phones. Right now purchasing an activated SIM card is as easy as purchasing groundnut. Half-hearted efforts were made in the past to control or eliminate unregistered phones. Of late, the federal government has given a deadline of 9th February to link all Mobile Numbers to National Identity Number: a form of control. The question is why did it take so long? Why were past efforts abandoned? Many people are, with good reasons, doubtful if the latest effort will succeed.

“These are my few comments. I have no doubt that none of these ideas are strange to those in authority. I am sure many people have various perspectives they could bring to bear. I believe the least we could do is to keep the issue on the front burner, at least to fight this bane of callous indifference by those in authority. We should also continue what we have always been doing: pray to God almighty to assist us save ourselves. Ameen!”

Nuraddeen Auwal, Abuja.