Changing Patterns Of Kidnapping And Its Impact On Household Economic Security In Nigeria

Kidnapping over time has changed in form, context and pattern into a sophisticated organized crime, taking on more sinister motivations, political and economic underpinnings with dire consequences on the sustainability of the economy of affected households. The study examined the changing patterns of kidnapping and its impact on household economic security in Nigeria.The study adopted a survey research design, and using a multistage sampling procedure, the survey covered a total of 400 households, across 4 selected states of Borno, Kaduna, Rivers and Lagos States. Both the descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to analyze the data collected. The null hypotheses formulated for the study were tested usinga one-way sample test to compare the mean of more than two, while Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test of significant of the effect of kidnapping on household economic security in Nigeria and the findings reveal that the trending pattern of kidnapping in Nigeria are victim profiling and random kidnapping while socio-economic factors, particularly unemployment, poverty and poor parental upbringing would significantly predict individual's participation in kidnapping; and insecurity and flamboyant lifestyle will likely expose an individual to the risk of being kidnapped.The study concluded from the findings that kidnapping negatively impact household economic security, particularly as it leads to financial and revenue loss, forceful closure of business and forced relocation, out of school children and abandonment of developmental projects amongst other household security indicators. It was thus recommended amongst others that government improve the capacity of security agencies to rescue kidnap victims without the payment of ransom with the view to reducing the effect of kidnapping on household economic security in Nigeria while also engaging all relevant stakeholders towards identifying region specific trend of kidnapping with the view to nipping it in the bud.