HURIWA to Tinubu: Declare kidnappers as terrorists

… says nonaccomplishment to enactment is enabling criminals

… urges South-East leaders to convene an exigency information summit

By Chioma Obinna

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has called connected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly to urgently amend Nigeria’s Counter-Terrorism Act to classify kidnappers arsenic terrorists, describing kidnapping arsenic 1 of the astir potent threats to nationalist information and economical stability.

Quoting damning figures from a caller study by SBM Intelligence, HURIWA noted that astatine slightest 257 radical were kidnapped successful the South-East unsocial betwixt July 2024 and June 2025, representing 5.6 per cent of the nationalist full of 4,722 abductions.

In a property statement, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said: “The authorities indispensable enactment now. We anticipation the authorities is not waiting for 1 of the governors oregon a precise salient nationalist legislator to beryllium abducted by kidnappers earlier swift, comprehensive, and effectual steps are taken to combat kidnappings,”

Describing the nonaccomplishment of governmental leaders to dainty kidnapping with the urgency it demands arsenic disgraceful, HURIWA decried however “a important percent of the information agents paid and maintained with taxpayers’ wealth are deployed to specially support apical nationalist bureau holders portion mean citizens are abandoned to their fate.”

HURIWA pointed to SBM’s study titled “Locust Business – The Economics of Nigeria’s Kidnap Industry: A 2025 Update”, which shows Enugu starring with 123 kidnapping cases, followed by Anambra (63), Imo (42), Abia (27), and Ebonyi (2). Kidnappers reportedly demanded implicit ₦1 cardinal successful ransom from victims successful the portion but received lone ₦157.55 million—6.1 per cent of the full ₦2.56 cardinal collected nationwide.

“The Southeast and South-South look targeted spiritual abductions and fiscal extortion,” HURIWA said, quoting the SBM report, adding that “clergy and professionals are among the astir affected.”

Citing a worsening signifier of kidnappings of Christian clerics, HURIWA condemned the caller abduction of Rev. Fr. Wilfred Ezemba of St. Paul Parish, Agaliga-Efabo, successful Kogi State. It besides recalled a study by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), which revealed that 19,100 churches person been destroyed by terrorists successful Nigeria implicit the past 16 years.

“There is simply a wide nexus betwixt coercion and kidnappings. The instrumentality indispensable bespeak that reality. We are calling for kidnappings to beryllium classified arsenic superior offences, with the severest punishment decease by hanging prescribed. Governors indispensable besides beryllium consenting to motion execution warrants successful grounds time,” HURIWA stated.

Taking nonstop purpose astatine South-East governmental leaders, HURIWA accused Governor Hope Uzodinma, Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, of spending excessive clip successful Abuja “welcoming oregon waving goodbye” to President Tinubu astatine the airdrome portion insecurity engulfs his authorities and region.

“We entreaty to the governors, governmental bureau holders, and civilian society, spiritual and accepted leaders successful the South-East to convene an exigency determination information summit. The clip to enactment is now. The bloodshed, fear, and economical paralysis successful the portion indispensable end.”

HURIWA emphasised that lone bold, decisive actions some legislative and enforcement tin reverse the worsening information crisis. Anything less, the radical warned, would beryllium tantamount to complicity by silence.

The station HURIWA to Tinubu: Declare kidnappers arsenic terrorists appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.