Deeply concerned with the recent rise in crimes involving Kidnapping and Armed robbery in Nigeria, especially the eastern part of the country, the Nigeria Policy Institute, USA is calling on the State and federal governments to pay uncompromising attention to the matter as the image of the country is on the line.

Kidnapping and demand of huge ransom of millions of Naira has become a lucrative and fast means of becoming a Millionaire for our jobless and displaced youths, and there is a need to checkmate this cancer now before it spreads to every facet of the Country. The ramifications of not taking serious actions will be a devastating economy and lack of investment and growth of all sectors of our Economy. No State or nation can prosper in the absence of Security of Lives and Properties. In fact, Nigeria Policy Institute, USA have been bombarded with complaints from the International Communities and Companies who have business dealings in some states such as Anambra, Enugu, Imo, and Bayelsia. International Humanitarian Organizations and Nigerians groups and Communities have also stated that they will suspend visiting the Country as a result of the daily reported menace and incidents of kidnapping and Armed Robbery targeted at foreigners, their relatives and those Nigerians living abroad especially United States and Canada.

Consequently, we call on each State governor and the Federal government to, in addition to the existing security measures in our State’s and National Constitutions, to consider the following effective Security Proposals that have worked tremendously in curtailing crimes in civilized countries such as U.S.A, Europe and Asian Countries. We make these proposals bearing in mind that Nigeria does not have a State and federal Policing system as in USA.

(1) Each Nigerian State should recruit, train, mobilize and equip uniformed Vigilante groups and empower them to make arrests of the criminals, turn them in to the police, and ensure that the culprits are prosecuted to the extent the Law permits.

(2) Each State Governor and  House members should appoint a Crime Czar for each local government whose duties will include instituting an effective Security Structure for monitoring of suspected criminals and stopping them before they act. These Crime Chiefs should meet frequently to evaluate successes and failures, share information on ways to improve the safety of the people.

(3) Effective Check Points should be re-instated at strategic locations to monitor vehicular movements of buses, SUV, vans carrying more than 5 persons; and effective Alert System put in place against suspected movements.

(4) All financial institutions should be mandated to install 24 hr. hidden Cameras at their locations, inside and outside the buildings. For those states that have Street Lights, Hidden Cameras should be installed at strategic locations. Rich people should install hidden cameras in their houses and their cars. Most of these cameras are solar powered.

(5) All the Nigeria Telecommunication Companies should be mandated to have the "Family Locator" Chips or "Phone number (blocked and unblocked) locator chips" in their system, to enable the tracing of all calls to the victim's family.

(6) The Death Penalty Law and property seizure laws should be openly and publicly carried out on all Convicts. A great Rewarding incentive should be in place for those who successfully lead to apprehension of the criminals.

(7) Use of marked money in the payment of the ransom demands should always be used, and all banks accepting cash deposits exceeding certain amount should be mandated to file a report with EFCC for the record.

(8) Community Vigilante Groups should be mandated through their leaders to frequently monitor the movement of persons in and around unusual places, bushes and thick forests, uncompleted and abandoned buildings in their areas. 

(9) Police Officers, Community Leaders or politicians who are found to be aiding and abating this crime should be exposed and fully prosecuted to the extent of the Law.

(10) The root cause of this high crime Wave in Southeast Nigeria, especially in Anambra State is the long neglect of the Unemployed youths and former Massob youths and displaced Motor park touts. Consequently, we are calling on all the Southeast Governors and the federal government of Nigeria to make it a priority to create employment opportunities for our youths through avenues such as building or facilitation of the building of Job creating ventures. Ventures, industries and facilities  that will employ thousands of youths across the States. In USA, we have chain stores such as Walmats, Macys, JC Penny, Sears, manufacturing Industries, Farm outlets, et cetera that are known to create thousands of jobs

(11) Outsourcing – or providing highly skilled but cheap Nigeria Labor and Tax incentives to the International Companies manufacturing businesses such as being done by India, Indonesia, China should be seriously embarked on.

We equally believe that provision of uninterrupted energy supply can eradicate majority of these crimes. While we are that some of these proposals will no doubt be capital intensive, we do believe that security funds should sufficiently address it. Safety is an important constant factor for Socio-Economic growth of any Economy.

Chief  Jimmy E. Asiegbu                                                 Obi Enweze, JD

Executive Director                                                           Secretary General

Tel. 310 497-5007