Operative: Why security agents can’t stop kidnappings along Birnin-Gwari - Kaduna Highway

Juliana Francis

A security agent has given an insight into the reason military personnel and policemen find it tough to curb the escalating cases of kidnapping along Birni Gwari road, Kaduna State.

According to the source, who wishes to remain anonymous over fear of losing his job since agents are not supposed to speak with journalists, the road, majorly plied by trucks and interstate vehicles, has become a centre of abduction because many suspected criminals and herdsmen routed from other interstate roads, migrated to that axis.

For years now, Birnin-Gwari - Kaduna Highway has become a road, where as many as 30 people are abducted almost every day. Although a military base had been erected there, the abductions Nigerians continued. In fact, several soldiers were killed by these kidnappers.

The operative disclosed that Birnin-Gwari - Kaduna Highway became a monstrous path to travel, after the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, detailed operatives of the Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to Abuja-Kaduna-Kano express way. The move became necessary after Nigerians were subjected to everyday kidnapping along that route.

The IRT operatives, over 200 suspects, most of them Fulani herdsmen were arrested and over 100 Ak47 rifles recovered. Most of these herdsmen were presented to journalists.

The security agent said: “That Birnin-Gwari - Kaduna axis is a very dangerous spot because the kidnappers and criminals dislodged from Abuja-Kaduna-Kano express way, moved to that road. There is a thick forest there and it covers three states; Zamfara, Niger and Kaduna. Many of them were arrested, but the few remaining ones ran to that forest. Birnin-Gwari Forest is just like Sambisa Forest and even some Boko Haram people used to run to hide at Birnin-Gwari forest. It has become a sort of a safe haven for criminals.”

He further explained that the Birnin-Gwari forest is a place, where most wanted criminals run to and are able to go underground.

He noted: “The gangs are ready to accept anyone as long as the person is a criminal. Once you get there, they will ask you to join their gang so every one of them could work together. No security agent can penetrate that forest without an adequate preparation that entails using Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC). The greatest challenge to security agents is that the nature of the terrain will not allow them to enter. There is no road; the whole place is a forest. Even our intelligence gathered so far, showed that the criminals use motorcycles. That’s the only means of transportation to gain access into that forest. The worst part of the whole scenario is that if the security agents attempt to enter the forest with heavy equipment, they would be vulnerable to these criminals.

“These criminals can ambush them because they know the forest more than them. Most of them were born in the bush and grew up in the bush. Moreover, if security agents are about to enter there, these criminals have informants everywhere. Before you enter the bush, they would know.”

The operative also disclosed that intelligence reports further gathered revealed that ransom collected from victims’ families are used by the kidnappers to buy cows, arms and ammunition. Parts of these weapons are allegedly deployed in fighting Benue State indigenes.