Kidnapping Crisis in Nasarawa: Fear Forces Residents Indoors as Criminals Change Tactics

A wave of kidnappings has plunged Nasarawa State into fear, forcing many residents of Lafia, the state capital, to abandon evening activities and retreat indoors as criminals adopt increasingly daring tactics.

Once confined to late-night raids, kidnappers now strike in the early evening, trailing victims returning from work or storming homes before nightfall.

Witnesses say gunmen have resorted to firing directly into houses to flush out occupants, seizing victims at gunpoint in front of terrified families and neighbours.

Communities Living in Fear

Residents describe a city on edge, where normal routines have been disrupted by the fear of abduction. Markets, shops, and neighbourhoods that once bustled after dusk now fall silent as people rush home, locking themselves in long before nightfall.

Security analysts warn that the shift in tactics suggests kidnappers are growing bolder, confident in their ability to evade law enforcement while exploiting the vulnerabilities of ordinary citizens.

The rising insecurity has sparked calls for urgent government intervention, with locals demanding stronger patrols, community policing, and rapid-response measures to stem the violence.

Nasarawa, located in Nigeria’s North-Central region, has in recent years battled banditry, communal clashes, and sporadic violence, but the latest wave of kidnappings has left residents describing the situation as “unprecedented”.

Mounting Pressure on Authorities

Civil society groups and community leaders have urged authorities to act decisively, warning that unchecked kidnappings could erode public trust in security agencies and further destabilise the region.

The police have not yet issued a formal statement on the latest attacks, but residents insist the threat has become a daily reality.

For now, Lafia lives under a self-imposed curfew, where fear—not law—dictates when people step outside.