Welcome to Nigeria, kidnap for ransom capital of the world!

25% of all the kidnappings in the world last year took place in Nigeria. That’s 1 in 4. Not bad, not bad at all, considering there are 167 Million Nigerians and an estimated 7 Billion people in the world.

Giant of Africa!

To get an idea of how bad Nigeria’s kidnapping problem is here’s a an excerpt from a security advisory a multinational oil company recently sent out to its expatriate employees about kidnappings in Lagos State just days ago:

“Recently in Lagos State, specifically between February 10 2013 and today, at least 10 confirmed kidnap-for-ransom incidents involving 12 victims have been recorded between Ikoyi, Victoria Island and the Lekki-Epe axis of the state. One incident occurred near Abraham Adesanya Estate on the Lekki-Epe expressway on February 10; four incidents on February 23, March 1, 21, and 25, occurred at Awoyaya area on the same route; two incidents in Lekki on March 23 – one on the alternative route, and the other a foiled kidnap attempt along Admiralty Way; one incident on Awolowo road in Ikoyi on March 24; and two incidents involving a Briton and three Lebanese in Victoria Island on March 23 and 27 respectively. These incidents appear to be random and opportunistic but mostly happened late at night. However, high-profile incidents are usually preceded by prolonged monitoring of intended targets.

While most victims are typically released after a few days of captivity and the payment of some ransom to the criminals, the psychological trauma and the possible financial burden placed on victims, their families, friends and even colleagues, lasts much longer.”

The security advisory only covers a few incidents in Lagos state over a few weeks. Across the rest of the country the situation is worse, much worse.

While Nigerians are struggling with the grim reality of our third world existence, Americans are struggling with equally serious first world problems. Such as boredom. And now, to fight this boredom, Americans are also getting kidnapped right at home. But don’t worry, in the land of the brave, home of the free kidnapping is good clean fun people pay hundreds of dollars for....

Via Greenlight [http://greenlight.com.ng/2013/04/05/while-youre-trying-not-to-get-kidnapped-in-nigeria-americans-are-paying-to-be-kidnapped-for-fun/]