Abstract

There has been a surge of kidnapping incidences in recent time in Nigeria. This act of criminality is perpetrated by established and emerging criminal groups as well as individual criminals for various degrees of reasons. The Boko Haram Terrorists group has proven that “kidnapping for ransom” is one of the ways of growing its economy with the Kidnap of Chibok and Dapchi girls among other prominent cases of kidnapping orchestrated by the sect. Kidnapping cuts across all regions of Nigeria and anyone could be kidnapped at any time depending on the immediate security situation. This research studied the nature and causes of kidnapping operations carried out by the Boko Haram sect, the Niger-Delta militants, the Fulani herders, armed bandits, and individual gangs. The scope of the research is on major kidnapping incidences from 2015 to 2018. The study found that while the motives of kidnappers differ; many of them indulge in the act for its pecuniary gains. Factors such as bad governance, unemployment, greed, poverty, intolerance, and vengeance were identified as being responsible for the growing rate of the crime.