Thread by @beegeaglesblog

#Kidnappings Have Become The New Normal On Nigeria's #Security Landscape. In This Month Of August, There Are A Few Reasons Why The Entire Security Apparatus Of This Country Needs To Be Primed For Rapid Reaction Almost Right Across The Federation

1. There is expected to be a huge spike in interstate and interregional road traffic for the rest of this month. Most of the kidnappings now taking place appear to occur along our highways. The imperative is clear.

2a. Interstate and interregional travels are expected to attain a peak this weekend ahead of the Eid festivities which will take place on Monday and Tuesday next week.

2b. With a 2-day weekend and two days of public holidays, that makes four work-free days. Millions of Muslim faithful can be expected to troop into the emirates of northern Nigeria and into parts of the Southwest

2c. Added to that, many other non-Muslims can be expected to take advantage of the 4-day workfree window to travel to see their loved ones as well. It is a rare opportunity which many utilise as Nigeria shuts down for four days on the bounce

3a. The other major area of mass transit this month shall be SE Nigeria on account of the landmark women-centred activity which is known as the AUGUST MEETING.

3b. The August meeting is a time on the social calendar in Igboland when married Igbo women from across the globe return to their ancestral homelands to commune with the women who are based there and to deliberate on issues of community development

3c. Many of these women will be travelling unaccompanied and in groups without their husbands for these meetings which span a few days.Most kidnappers being male, you can expect that they would likely find opportunistic targets in these travelling women

3d. Given the fact the diaspora-based women are involved, a lot of kidnappers might be inspired to make a bid to grab dollars+pounds from them or to take them hostage and ask for larger ransoms than would be usual since they are supposedly dripping with forex

Summarily, it would be expedient to step up surveillance along the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway, Lagos-Benin-Onitsha-Owerri highway, Zaria-Sokoto highway, Abuja-Auchi highway, Kano-Maiduguri highway and other black spots in between

In closing, I am sure you know what the Eid (locally known as "Sallah") is all about. If you have never heard about the "August Meeting", read about that HERE

vanguardngr.com/2018/08/annual…

IF you do not know how this works out, here's a relatable dose of ongoing Nigerian reality for you

independent.ng/bayelsa-women-…