“The reason for the abductions varies by region, while Boko Haram splinter groups like ISWAP still operate, their focus has shifted. ISWAP’s territorial control allows for taxation, reducing reliance on mass abductions — the Abubakar Shekau faction, however, resorts to mass abductions for survival,” the report said.
It said: “Contrary to the government’s claims, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province—the dominant Boko Haram faction—continues to hold territory in both Borno and Yobe States. The other faction, Jama’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihad (JAS), now led by Shekau’s loyalists, has been significantly weakened after losing territories to the Nigerian military and ISWAP.
Read also: Notorious Boko Haram terrorist surrenders to MNJTF troops
“Reduced to a ragtag militia with limited resources and operational capacity, the group resorts to mass abductions of women, girls, and young boys to bolster its fleeting resources and personnel. This played out in the kidnapping of more than 300 IDPs4 in a displacement camp in Gamboru town of Ngala, Borno State, on 3 March.”
In the other parts of the North, bandit gangs are responsible for mass abductions. In rural Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara, kingpins instruct gang members to raid villages for two significant reasons: failure to pay imposed levies and the need for manpower in the farms owned and controlled by the bandit kingpins, according to the report.
It pointed out that large-scale kidnappings are less frequent in the South, saying highway kidnappings are more common, with occasional school bus abductions.
The report linked kidnapping to the economic crisis in the country, saying that “hardships have pushed many individuals towards desperate measures, including turning to a life of crime, such as kidnapping.”
According to SBM, kidnapping has become an attractive option for criminals due to its relatively low-risk, high-reward nature. With just a small team and locally manufactured rifles, perpetrators can execute abductions with alarming ease.
“It pointed out that large-scale kidnappings are less frequent in the South, saying highway kidnappings are more common, with occasional school bus abductions.”
“The inability of Nigeria’s security agencies to effectively combat kidnapping reflects a broader failure within the country’s security architecture. This failure is not solely due to external threats, but also internal sabotage, with some state officials implicated in collusion with or support for kidnappers.”
(iii) Headline: “NIGERIA RANKED 102nd HAPPIEST NATION
IN THE WORLD”
“Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation ranked 102nd happiest nation in the world out of 143 countries, with Libya ranking the happiest in Africa.
In its annual report released on Wednesday, the United Nations World Happiness Report showed that Nigeria fell by seven positions last year where it ranked 95th, indicating that more Nigerians are unhappy.
Read also: Boko Haram logistics courier arrested during raid by MNJTF
Libya at 66th position leads the continent as the happiest nation followed by Mauritius, South Africa, Algeria, Congo, Mozambique and Gabon ranking at 70th, 83rd, 85th, 89th, 90th and 95th accordingly.
Meanwhile, Finland has retained its crown as the world’s happiest country for the seventh consecutive time as the United States of America finds its way out of the top 20 on the back of a drop in wellbeing of young Americans.
Denmark and Iceland remained second and third in the world, respectively, according to the report.
For the first time, the US moved out of the top 20 nations and fell to 23rd from 15th, “driven by a large drop in the wellbeing of Americans under 30,” the report stated.
Other leading economies as Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, China and Russia ranked 15th, 20th, 24th, 51st, 60th, 72nd respectively.
The report offers insights into the subjective well-being of people worldwide, going beyond mere economic indicators to capture the holistic experience of happiness.
“The World Happiness Report reflects a worldwide demand for more attention to happiness and well-being as criteria for government policy.
“It reviews the state of happiness in the world today and shows how the science of happiness explains personal and national variations in happiness,” the report said.
It noted that data were observed using six variables – GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption. However, Cantril ladder life-evaluation questions were used in arriving at the rankings.
“Our happiness rankings are not based on any index of these six factors – the scores are instead based on individuals’ own assessments of their lives, in particular, their answers to the single-item Cantril ladder life-evaluation question,” the report stated.
According to the report, young Nigerians under the age of 30 are happier as the country ranked 108th in this category out of 143 countries.
However, in the adult category, the country ranked 130th showing that the older Nigerians are less happy.”
Read also: Nigerian troops kill three Boko Haram terrorists in Mafa raid
(iv) Headline: “DEATHS AND GARBLED NARRATIVES AT OKUAMA”
“Okuama has dominated mainstream and social media since last weekend. Okuama in Delta South is the community where persons of unclear identity killed 17 Nigerian soldiers. What started as a conflict between Okuama and their neighbour, Okoloma, developed into multiple conflicts involving the army and drawing national and international attention.
Troops attached to the 181 Amphibious Battalion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, reportedly went on a peace mission to the Okuama community. They were killed, and their bodies were dumped in the water. It sounded macabre.
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