Editorial : Using Children as Bargaining Tools Must Stop

 

The recent kidnapping of children in Oyo State and their continued captivity have once again exposed a disturbing reality in Nigeria: the growing use of innocent children as bargaining tools by criminals, terrorists, and kidnappers. Nothing can be more reprehensible than turning children into commodities to be exchanged for ransom, political leverage, or criminal gain. It is a practice that violates every principle of humanity and undermines the very fabric of society.

For the affected families, each passing day is filled with anxiety, uncertainty, and despair. Parents are forced to endure the agonizing wait for news of their children while communities grapple with fear and insecurity. Yet, beyond the immediate pain lies a broader national concern. The continued use of children as hostages reflects a dangerous normalization of criminality and a weakening of the state's ability to protect its most vulnerable citizens.

Nigeria has witnessed a troubling rise in child abductions over the past decade. From the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014 to the mass kidnappings in Kankara, Jangebe, Birnin Yauri, and several communities across northern Nigeria, children have increasingly become targets for criminal groups seeking financial rewards or publicity. Schools, once regarded as safe havens for learning and development, have become scenes of terror and uncertainty.

The implications are far-reaching. Every child abducted is a child denied education, security, and the opportunity to enjoy a normal childhood. Many victims suffer severe psychological trauma, while some are subjected to forced labour, sexual exploitation, or recruitment into armed groups. Families often face financial ruin as they struggle to meet ransom demands, while communities lose confidence in the ability of government institutions to guarantee their safety.

The kidnapping of children should never be treated as an ordinary crime. It is an assault on the future of the nation. A society that cannot protect its children places its own future at risk. The persistent targeting of children discourages school attendance, weakens human capital development, and deepens social instability.

Government must therefore move beyond routine condemnations and demonstrate greater urgency in addressing this menace. Security agencies require improved intelligence capabilities, better equipment, and stronger coordination to prevent abductions before they occur. Schools and vulnerable communities must be provided with adequate protection, while those responsible for kidnapping children must face swift and severe punishment under the law.

At the same time, efforts to combat poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion must be intensified. While these factors do not justify criminal behaviour, they contribute to an environment in which kidnapping and banditry flourish. Long-term solutions must therefore combine effective security measures with meaningful socio-economic reforms.

The private sector, civil society organizations, religious bodies, traditional institutions, and community leaders must also play active roles in safeguarding children. Protecting children is not solely a government responsibility; it is a collective obligation shared by all stakeholders in society.

The children currently held captive in Oyo State, and countless others who have suffered similar experiences across Nigeria, deserve more than sympathy. They deserve freedom, protection, and justice. Their plight should serve as a wake-up call to a nation that can no longer afford to treat child abduction as another headline that will soon be forgotten.

Using children as bargaining tools must stop. It is a stain on our collective conscience and a threat to our national future. Until every Nigerian child can go to school, sleep at home, and move freely without fear of abduction, the country still has much work to do in fulfilling its most fundamental duty—the protection of its children.