Police or military: Who should tackle kidnapping?

Kidnapping has become a serious problem in the country and security agencies seem to be overwhelmed with the hydra-headed situation. Daily Trust Saturday sought the views of Nigerians whether the Police or Military should tackle the menace? Hon. Alex Ukam, ex House of Reps member, Calabar It ought to be a joint responsibility between the […]

Kidnapping has become a serious problem in the country and security agencies seem to be overwhelmed with the hydra-headed situation. Daily Trust Saturday sought the views of Nigerians whether the Police or Military should tackle the menace?

Hon. Alex Ukam, ex House of Reps member, Calabar

It ought to be a joint responsibility between the police and the military but because of the sophisticated approach of the kidnappers these days it calls for the involvement of the military to lead the task.

Comrade Ayuba Suleiman, NLC chairman, Kaduna

The spate of kidnapping should be tackle by the police. I am not a security personnel but I believe it is the duty of police to tackle the issue of kidnapping that is why  they have different segment like the CID, SIB as they have all the technical and intelligent units to properly manned internal security.

Ado Garba Mohammed, 55, retired civil servant, Kaduna

Military are well-equipped to tackle internal and external aggression. The military is tactically and technically equipped to tackle kidnappings in the country while the police can handle the process of investigation, litigations, prosecution and conviction.

Abdullahi Usman, Civil servant, Gusau

The military should put kidnapping to an end because they are much dreaded by criminals than the police. Their fighting skills are a plus to tackle the menace.

Bishop Emmanuel Esezebor, 58, Banker, Calabar

Kidnapping has now become a Nigerian thing. It is difficult to isolate and or to apportion responsibility. Whether it is the police or military, it will be the same result. Except radical change in leadership of the forces are effected, there would still be the lethargic approach.
The federal government should identify hardcore and trained personnel in both forces. Kidnapping or such other crimes thrive because of who heads them. We have men who are radical and go-getter and who when they are saddled with such task, kidnappers would immediately on their own go under.

Leonard Anyogo, 46, Lawyer, Calabar

Constitutionally, it is the police who are charged with issues of internal security. The military are trained to tackle external aggression against the country. The military ought not to be involved despite increasing sophistication of kidnapping these days. This, however, does not mean when it gets out of hand they should not be deployed. Kidnapping also requires intelligence gathering.

Nura Musa, Civil Servant, Gusau

I think the police should handle the issue of internal security in the country because they the ones empowered by law to do so. So, they should go after kidnappers.

Christiana Bawa, NLC Secretary, Kaduna

The issue of kidnapping is of serious concern. If you asked me I will not say whether police or military, I will say every citizen of the state. But between the two, Nigeria police should tackle the issue of kidnapping not the military although the menace is gradually becoming a national threat. The police are supposed to tackle kidnapping not the military.

Mallam Yusuf Dingyadi, 51, Politician, Sokoto

Military are the one trained to fight war not Police. We need to have serious solution to our approach of fighting this menace, especially in the north. The kind of training given to the Military is completely different with the Police even on the knowledge of fighting insurgency, kidnapping and banditry.