Amnesty International has expressed deep concern over the increasing incidents of kidnapping for ransom by armed gangs in Nigeria, saying it is a daily occurrence that has left citizens living in constant fear.
Amnesty International Nigeria office’s alarm on Monday in a series of posts on X comes on the heels of recent high-profile kidnapping cases across the country as the Nigerian authorities appear to be overwhelmed by the threats.
“People in Nigeria are living on a knife edge,” said the group, “Widespread insecurity and chaos have been exacerbated by routine kidnapping, as armed groups tighten their stranglehold on the country.”
According to Amnesty International, the exact number of Nigerians held captive by armed groups is unknown, but the organisation decried the shocking abuses suffered by victims, including torture, rape, and starvation at the hands of their captors.
“Those kidnapped by armed groups are routinely tortured. Many are beaten, starved, threatened with death, raped, held blindfolded for several days, verbally and physically assaulted,” it stated.
The human rights group is demanding that President Bola Tinubu ends “the cycle of violence and fear people in Nigeria are living under today.”
Amnesty International called on President Tinubu to effectively investigate the “waves of kidnapping and killings and bringing those suspected of responsibility to justice.”
