It is safe to state that kidnapping in Nigeria has developed into a thriving multi-billion naira industry where kidnappers, who are frequently called "bandits," are growing more numerous and asserting themselves in larger areas. There were 838 kidnapping cases reported in Nigeria in 2018. While 176 cases were charged with a crime, 140 were still being investigated. But more than 3,000 individuals were abducted in just the first half of 2021, the number has been reported to be 571 for January 2022.

Since last December, Essau Ogunsemore, a 50 years old man, whose whereabouts are unknown, has been abducted from his family's house in Igbokoda, Ondo State.

The father of 18 children was kidnapped while visiting his father during the holiday season by armed men who stormed the building.

His kidnapping took place four months after a relative had warned his father to leave the family home or face the latter's fury. Mr. Aaron Ogunsemore, the father of the kidnapped man, informed Vanguard that as the eldest son of Ogunsemore, he is the rightful owner of the family house in question. Noting that "since his kidnapping on December 1, 2021, no ransom has been sought," he claimed that Essau's kidnapping could be related to the dispute over the property.

Based on reports received from Chief Mrs. Ajose Kelubia, a lawyer and a human rights advocate, while disclosing to journalists about the kidnapping at Sango Otta, she revealed that on December 1, 2021, a group of thugs headed by some relatives broke into Mr. Aaron Ogunsemore's family home in Okoga, Igbokoda, Ondo state, firing shots into the air and pursuing people with axes and cutlasses. They threatened to kill Mr. Aaron Ogunsemore  as the groups of thugs called him outside.

The hoodlums shot Mr. Essau Ogunsemore in the leg as this was going on, and forced him into the bush amid the presence of his wife, father, aunt, and some townspeople, she added, adding that the identities of those who led the hoodlums were known in the neighbourhood. Even before the thugs kidnapped Essau Ogunsemore, Chief Mrs. Ajose Kelubia revealed that the police had detained two of their alleged leaders after they threatened to shoot Essau's father.

According to her, after Essau was kidnapped, the incident was reported to the Igbokoda police station. She noted, however, that just two of the known suspected perpetrators had been apprehended by the time a petition was sent to the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Alagbaon, Lagos.

Even though I was there at the FCID in Alagbon, neither the complainant nor I, as their lawyer, were contacted before the suspects were arraigned in Akure, Ondo State, the woman said.

They were taken into custody but soon discharged. The police discharged them despite finding firearms on them that had been confiscated as evidence, claiming that this was done at the Deputy Governor of Ondo State's request, however, we are unsure of how accurate this is because it has not been verified.

She added that three of the alleged masterminds of the invasion that resulted in the kidnapping of Esau were charged on September 29, 2022, "with the charge number: MAK/HC/406C/2022, and has been duplicated to the D.P.P.S. office with file No. MAC NC-406-2022.

Making these criminals answer for their deeds is the only rational course of action. The government should adequately prosecute bandits and those who support them in order to take away the motivation for more attacks and to show that crime doesn't pay.