Special Feature News

Comprehensive Report on Abduction Activities in Nigeria

2nd March, 2025 at 01:51

By Our Reporter

Abduction, particularly kidnapping for ransom, has emerged as one of Nigeria's most pressing security challenges in the 21st century. From the politically motivated abductions in the Niger Delta in

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Abduction, particularly kidnapping for ransom, has emerged as one of Nigeria's most pressing security challenges in the 21st century. From the politically motivated abductions in the Niger Delta in the early 2000s to the ideologically driven mass kidnappings by Boko Haram starting in 2009, and the more recent surge of bandit-led abductions in the northwest, this crime has evolved into a widespread and lucrative industry. As of March 1, 2025, Nigeria continues to grapple with frequent abduction incidents, affecting individuals, communities, and the nation’s socioeconomic fabric. This report examines the scope of abduction activities, identifies their remote causes, and proposes actionable solutions to address the crisis.

Scope of Abduction Activities in Nigeria

Abduction activities in Nigeria vary in scale, motivation, and geography. The phenomenon can be categorized into three main types:

Politically Motivated Abductions

Origin: Began in the Niger Delta in the early 2000s.

Perpetrators: Militant groups agitating for resource control and community development.

Targets: Expatriate oil workers and high-profile individuals.

Purpose: To pressure oil companies and the government for economic benefits and development projects.

Evolution: While still present, this form has been overshadowed by other types of abductions.

Ideologically Driven Mass Abductions

Origin: Initiated by Boko Haram in 2009 in the northeast.

Perpetrators: Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other jihadist factions.

Targets: Schoolchildren, women, and vulnerable rural populations.

Notable Incidents: The 2014 Chibok kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls, with over 90 still missing as of 2025, and the 2018 Dapchi abduction of 113 students.

Purpose: To instill fear, recruit fighters, generate ransom revenue, and challenge government authority.

Scale: Over 1,680 students have been abducted since 2014, with significant incidents in 2024 alone, including over 400 people kidnapped from a Borno State IDP camp.

Criminal Banditry and Ransom-Driven Abductions

Origin: Gained prominence in the northwest around 2011, surpassing cattle rustling as a primary revenue source by 2019.

Perpetrators: Armed bandit groups operating in states like Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Sokoto.

Targets: Schoolchildren, travelers, farmers, and rural communities.

Notable Incidents: The 2021 abduction of 287 students in Kaduna, the 2024 Kuriga school raid (287 students), and multiple mass abductions in early 2024 totaling over 500 victims.

Purpose: Primarily economic, with ransom payments driving the cycle of violence.

Scale: Between 2019 and 2023, the northwest recorded 662 kidnapping-related events, far exceeding the 246 in the northeast.

Statistics and Trends

Ransom Payments: From 2011 to 2020, kidnappers collected at least $18.5 million in ransoms, with $1.12 million in 2022 and $387,179 in 2023.

Frequency: Between July 2022 and June 2023, 3,620 people were abducted in 582 incidents, averaging six victims per event.

Geographical Spread: While the northwest is the epicenter (28% of abductions from 2019–2023), the north-central (24%) and northeast regions are also heavily affected, with incidents reported across all six geopolitical zones, including the relatively peaceful southwest.

Recent Surge: Early 2024 saw over 1,000 abductions in the first three months, indicating a persistent upward trend a decade after Chibok.

Remote Causes of Abduction Activities

The proliferation of abductions in Nigeria is rooted in a complex interplay of systemic, socioeconomic, and governance-related factors:

Economic Deprivation and Unemployment

High poverty and unemployment rates, particularly among youth, create fertile ground for criminal recruitment. Economic desperation drives individuals to join bandit groups or engage in kidnapping as a means of survival.

The economic crisis, marked by inflation and food insecurity, has worsened since the early 2020s, increasing the profitability of ransom-driven abductions.

Weak Governance and Security Infrastructure

Limited state presence in rural and remote areas leaves communities vulnerable to attacks. Security forces are overstretched, with poor coordination and inadequate resources hampering proactive responses.

The Safe Schools Initiative, launched in 2014, has been poorly implemented, leaving educational institutions exposed.

Proliferation of Small Arms

Porous borders and the influx of weapons from neighboring conflict zones (e.g., Libya, Chad) have armed criminal and insurgent groups, enabling bolder and more frequent attacks.

Impunity and Weak Justice System

Failure to prosecute perpetrators fosters a culture of impunity. The 2022 law criminalizing ransom payments (with a minimum 15-year sentence) is rarely enforced, and judicial processes are slow, undermining deterrence.

Ethno-Religious and Political Tensions

In the northeast, Boko Haram exploits religious ideology and political grievances against Western education and governance. In the northwest, herder-farmer conflicts have escalated into banditry, compounded by resource disputes.

Geographical Challenges

Vast ungoverned spaces, such as forests in Zamfara and Kaduna, provide hideouts for kidnappers, complicating rescue operations due to difficult terrain and limited infrastructure.

Effects of Abduction Activities

Humanitarian Impact: Thousands of lives disrupted, with victims subjected to violence, trauma, and, in some cases, forced recruitment or death.

Educational Crisis: One in three Nigerian children is out of school, with mass abductions contributing to school closures and teacher attrition.

Economic Decline: Agricultural activities and food production are stifled as farmers flee insecurity, exacerbating poverty and hunger.

Social Instability: Communities are torn apart, with trust in government dwindling as citizens resort to crowdfunding ransoms.

The DRC War: M23, Rwanda’s Involvement, and the Tangled Web of Regional Politics

27th February, 2025 at 22:35

By Our Reporter

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is once again engulfed in a devastating conflict, with the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu serving as the epicenter of a war that threatens to spiral

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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is once again engulfed in a devastating conflict, with the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu serving as the epicenter of a war that threatens to spiral into a broader regional crisis. At the heart of this turmoil is the M23 rebel group, a well-armed militia whose rapid advances—including the capture of Goma in January 2025 and Bukavu in February 2025—have intensified an already volatile situation. Rwanda’s alleged backing of M23 has emerged as a central point of contention, drawing accusations from the DRC, the United Nations, and Western powers, while regional politics further complicate the path to peace. As of February 27, 2025, the war’s human toll is staggering, with millions displaced and thousands dead, underscoring the urgent need to unravel the forces driving this conflict.

The Resurgence of M23: A Familiar Foe

The March 23 Movement, or M23, is no stranger to the DRC’s turbulent history. Formed in 2012 by former soldiers of the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP), M23 takes its name from a 2009 peace agreement that it claims the DRC government failed to honor. Predominantly composed of ethnic Tutsis, the group has long justified its rebellions as a defense against marginalization and a response to the presence of Hutu militias, notably the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which include perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. After a period of relative dormancy following its defeat in 2013, M23 re-emerged with renewed vigor in late 2021, capitalizing on the DRC’s weak military and governance vacuum in the east.

By January 2025, M23 had seized Goma, the mineral-rich capital of North Kivu, killing over 2,900 people in the assault, according to UN estimates. Weeks later, the rebels took Bukavu, South Kivu’s provincial capital, brushing aside a unilateral ceasefire they had declared. These victories highlight M23’s military sophistication—evidenced by advanced weaponry and drone usage—raising questions about external support. The group now controls vast swathes of eastern DRC, including key mining areas rich in coltan, gold, and cassiterite, fueling speculation that economic motives underpin its campaign.

Rwanda’s Role: Proxy War or Security Strategy?

Rwanda’s involvement with M23 is the linchpin of this conflict, though Kigali’s official stance remains one of denial or justification. Multiple investigations, including a December 2023 UN Group of Experts report, assert that Rwanda provides M23 with troops, training, and high-tech equipment. Estimates suggest 3,000 to 4,000 Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) soldiers are embedded in DRC territory, with the UN describing Rwanda as exerting “de facto control” over M23 operations. Evidence includes aerial footage of RDF troops in M23-held areas and accounts of Rwandan officers overseeing training camps near the border.

President Paul Kagame frames Rwanda’s actions as a defensive necessity, citing the threat posed by the FDLR, which operates in eastern DRC and harbors genocidaires who fled Rwanda post-1994. Kagame has accused DRC President Félix Tshisekedi of failing to neutralize this group, arguing that Rwanda must act to protect its security. However, critics point to economic incentives, noting that Rwanda has become a major exporter of Congolese minerals like coltan, much of it smuggled across the border. This dual narrative—security concerns versus resource exploitation—muddies the waters, but the consensus among analysts is that Rwanda uses M23 as a proxy to maintain influence over eastern DRC, a region it views as a buffer zone and economic lifeline.

The DRC, in turn, has severed ties with Rwanda, expelled its ambassador, and called for UN sanctions. Protests in Kinshasa have seen Rwandan flags burned and Kagame’s portraits torched, reflecting deep-seated Congolese anger. Tshisekedi insists on a military solution, rejecting direct talks with M23 and demanding Rwanda’s withdrawal, a stance that has hardened as the rebels advance.

Regional Politics: A Powder Keg of Rivalries

The DRC war transcends a bilateral spat, ensnaring a web of regional actors with competing interests. Uganda, a historical rival of Rwanda, is accused of tacitly supporting M23 by allowing recruits and supplies to cross its border, though it denies direct involvement. Kampala’s deployment of 1,000 troops to eastern DRC in February 2025, ostensibly to counter other rebel groups like the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), signals its intent to preserve its own sphere of influence, reminiscent of the Second Congo War (1998–2003) when Uganda and Rwanda carved up Congolese territory.

Burundi, meanwhile, has aligned with the DRC, deploying thousands of troops to bolster Congolese forces against M23. President Évariste Ndayishimiye has warned of Rwanda’s expansionist ambitions, fearing that M23’s push toward Bukavu—near Burundi’s border—could destabilize his regime. Tensions between Bujumbura and Kigali have escalated, with UN reports suggesting both nations are backing rival rebel groups in a tit-for-tat proxy conflict.

South Africa, as part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission, has lost 14 soldiers to M23 attacks, prompting a diplomatic clash with Rwanda. Pretoria’s defense minister warned of treating further aggression as a “declaration of war,” while Kagame accused South Africa of siding with the DRC in “offensive combat operations.” This exchange underscores how the conflict risks drawing in powers beyond the Great Lakes region.

The East African Community (EAC) and SADC have struggled to broker peace. A July 2024 ceasefire mediated by Angola collapsed when Rwanda insisted on DRC-M23 talks, a non-starter for Tshisekedi. A February 8, 2025, summit in Dar es Salaam yielded calls for an immediate ceasefire, but with no enforcement mechanism, its impact remains uncertain. The DRC’s dual membership in both blocs complicates coordination, while regional rivalries—particularly between Rwanda and its neighbors—thwart unity.

The Mineral Factor and Imperialist Shadows

Eastern DRC’s vast mineral wealth—estimated at trillions of dollars—fuels the war’s intensity. M23’s control of key mining sites like Rubaya, a coltan hub, suggests that resource plunder is a strategic goal, with Rwanda and Uganda historically implicated in illicit exports. The global demand for these minerals, essential for electronics, implicates Western corporations and governments, whose reluctance to impose robust sanctions on Rwanda has drawn accusations of double standards compared to conflicts like Ukraine.

The legacy of imperialism lingers, too. The DRC’s borders, arbitrarily drawn by colonial powers, exacerbate ethnic tensions, particularly for the Tutsi minority linked to Rwanda. The 1994 genocide’s spillover entrenched regional mistrust, with Rwanda’s interventions in the DRC dating back to 1996, when it backed the rebellion that ousted Mobutu Sese Seko. This historical baggage amplifies the stakes, making peace elusive.

Humanitarian Crisis and the Path Forward

The war’s toll is catastrophic: over 700,000 displaced since January 2025, joining millions already uprooted, and countless atrocities—rape, executions, and child recruitment—attributed to M23 and other groups. Goma’s fall disrupted a humanitarian hub, while diseases like cholera ravage displacement camps. The UN’s MONUSCO peacekeeping mission, set to withdraw by year’s end, has been criticized as ineffective, leaving a void that SADC forces struggle to fill.

Ending the conflict requires confronting Rwanda’s role head-on. Past pressure—such as the $240 million aid cut in 2012—forced Kigali to retreat, suggesting that targeted sanctions and diplomatic isolation could again shift the calculus. Yet, Rwanda’s status as a “donor darling” and its economic ties with the West complicate such measures. Regional mediation must address root causes—ethnic tensions, resource control, and security fears—while empowering the DRC to strengthen its army and governance, reducing reliance on foreign troops.

As M23 marches deeper into DRC territory, the specter of a regional war looms larger. The interplay of Rwanda’s ambitions, neighboring rivalries, and global economic interests has turned eastern DRC into a battleground where peace remains a distant hope. Without decisive action, the Congolese people will continue to bear the brunt of a conflict they did not choose—one that echoes the region’s troubled past while threatening its future.

The Gaza War: A Regional and Global Crucible

27th February, 2025 at 22:16

By Our Reporter

The war in Gaza, reignited with ferocity on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a devastating attack on southern Israel, has evolved into a conflict that reverberates far beyond the narrow strip of

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The war in Gaza, reignited with ferocity on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a devastating attack on southern Israel, has evolved into a conflict that reverberates far beyond the narrow strip of land between Israel and the Mediterranean Sea. As of February 27, 2025, the war has claimed over 46,000 Palestinian lives—more than half women and children—according to Gaza health officials, while displacing nearly 85% of its 2.2 million residents. Israel’s military response, aimed at dismantling Hamas, has reduced much of Gaza to rubble, drawing in a complex web of regional and global actors. The roles of the West, Middle Eastern countries, Iran, and select North African nations have shaped the conflict’s trajectory, amplifying its stakes and complicating prospects for peace.

The West: Enabler and Critic

The United States has been Israel’s staunchest ally throughout the war, providing billions in military aid and deploying naval assets, including the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, to the eastern Mediterranean to deter escalation. Washington’s support includes advanced weaponry—such as precision-guided munitions and Patriot systems—that bolsters Israel’s Iron Dome and multi-tiered missile defense network, intercepting 99% of Iranian projectiles in a notable April 2024 barrage. This backing, however, has come at a reputational cost. The Biden administration’s refusal to push for an immediate ceasefire, coupled with its veto of UN resolutions critical of Israel, has fueled accusations of complicity in Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe, alienating much of the Global South.

European nations display a fractured stance. Germany and the UK align closely with the U.S., supplying arms and upholding Israel’s right to self-defense, though domestic protests—particularly in London and Berlin—reflect growing unease over the war’s toll. France, Spain, and Ireland, conversely, have taken sharper tones, with Spain and Ireland recognizing Palestinian statehood in 2024 and France issuing travel warnings amid fears of regional escalation. A November 2024 YouGov Eurotrack poll across seven European countries revealed a majority view Israel’s actions in Gaza as unjustified, with many predicting a wider war involving Iran—a sentiment underscoring the West’s internal divisions.

The Middle East: A Shifting Landscape

The Middle East’s response to the Gaza war has been a volatile mix of solidarity, pragmatism, and rivalry. Saudi Arabia, once on the cusp of normalizing ties with Israel via the Abraham Accords, has paused such efforts, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman condemning Israel’s campaign in talks with Iran’s president in October 2023—their first since restoring diplomatic ties. Public outrage over Gaza’s destruction has pressured Riyadh to prioritize Palestinian concerns, though its strategic rivalry with Iran limits overt alignment with Tehran’s axis.

Qatar has emerged as a pivotal mediator, leveraging its ties to Hamas—whose political leadership it hosts—to broker hostage releases and ceasefire talks, as seen in the November 2023 truce that freed over 100 captives. Egypt, sharing a border with Gaza, has oscillated between facilitating aid through the Rafah crossing and reinforcing Israel’s blockade, wary of a Palestinian exodus that could destabilize its Sinai region. Jordan, balancing a large Palestinian population with peace treaties with Israel, has vocally opposed forced displacement while quietly maintaining security cooperation with the West.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has escalated tensions by exchanging fire with Israel across the northern border, displacing tens of thousands on both sides. The group’s arsenal of over 150,000 rockets poses a latent threat, though its losses in a separate 2024 conflict with Israel have weakened its position. Yemen’s Houthis, another Iranian ally, have disrupted Red Sea shipping with drones and missiles, targeting vessels linked to Israel and prompting U.S. and UK retaliatory strikes. These actions highlight how the Gaza war has galvanized Iran’s “Axis of Resistance,” reshaping regional power dynamics.

Iran: Puppet Master or Cornered Player?

Iran’s role in the Gaza war is both strategic and opportunistic. Tehran has long armed and funded Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), providing rockets, drones, and financial support to sustain their fight against Israel. The October 7 attack, while not directly orchestrated by Iran, was praised by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a blow to Israel’s invincibility. Iran’s proxies—Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraqi Shiite militias—have since activated multiple fronts, from Lebanon’s border to the Red Sea, amplifying pressure on Israel and its Western backers.

Yet, Iran’s gambit has limits. The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July 2024, widely attributed to Israel, exposed vulnerabilities, prompting Iran to launch over 300 drones and missiles in April 2024—an attack largely thwarted by Israeli and U.S. defenses. The fall of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, a key ally, further eroded Iran’s regional clout, leaving its economy strained by sanctions and its leadership, under an ailing Khamenei, recalibrating. Tehran now faces a Trump administration poised to revive “maximum pressure,” potentially forcing compromises or a nuclear push—a move that could ignite a broader confrontation.

North African Countries: Solidarity and Caution

North African states have played varied roles, shaped by historical ties to the Palestinian cause and domestic pressures. Morocco, despite its 2020 normalization with Israel under the Abraham Accords, has seen pro-Palestinian protests swell in Rabat and Casablanca, pushing King Mohammed VI to adopt a louder ceasefire advocacy. Security ties with Israel, however, persist quietly, driven by shared concerns over Iran’s influence, particularly via the Polisario Front in Western Sahara, which some allege has Iranian backing through Syria.

Egypt’s role is more direct, managing the Rafah crossing and mediating ceasefire talks alongside Qatar. Cairo’s military has reinforced its Gaza border to prevent refugee flows, a stance rooted in national security rather than indifference, though its peace treaty with Israel limits overt criticism. Tunisia, with its post-Arab Spring democratic leanings, has seen vocal public support for Gaza, with parliamentarians denouncing Israel’s actions, though its government lacks the leverage to influence the conflict significantly.

Algeria, a historical champion of Palestinian rights, has taken a harder line, condemning Israel at the UN and offering humanitarian aid, but its focus remains on countering Morocco’s regional ambitions, diluting its Gaza involvement. Libya, fractured by civil war, has little capacity to engage beyond rhetorical solidarity, though militia factions have echoed Iran’s anti-Israel stance, hinting at potential proxy alignment.

A War Beyond Borders

The Gaza war’s January 2025 ceasefire, fragile and tentative, marks not an end but a pause in a conflict that has remade the Middle East and strained global alignments. The West’s military support has secured Israel’s tactical victories—Hamas’s leadership decimated, its tunnels battered—but at the cost of diplomatic isolation and a humanitarian crisis that overshadows its gains. Middle Eastern states, caught between public fury and strategic interests, navigate a tightrope, while Iran’s axis, though battered, retains its disruptive potential.

North African nations, though peripheral, reflect the war’s ripple effects, balancing solidarity with pragmatism. The conflict’s toll—thousands dead, millions displaced, and a region on edge—underscores a brutal truth: no single actor holds the key to resolution. As Trump’s incoming administration signals a hardline shift, the Gaza war’s next chapter may hinge less on battlefields than on the chessboard of diplomacy, where the West, Middle East, Iran, and Africa’s northern fringe each hold pieces of an increasingly unstable puzzle.