He narrated an instance where a captured bandit disclosed the exploitative structure behind some kidnapping operations in the country.
According to Dalung, the bandit, during interrogation, revealed that the firearms used during their operations were not owned by the kidnappers themselves but were rented to them by their leaders. “One of the bandits who was arrested said the guns they used were hired to them by their bosses,” Dalung said.
The former minister went on to recount a specific ransom incident. “They asked him how much have you collected from ransom?. He said that in one of the instances, we collected N100 million. And how much were you given?, He said N200,000. And how many of you? He said 20.”
This revelation highlights a grim and exploitative hierarchy within the bandit networks, where foot soldiers risk their lives for a fraction of the ransom while their sponsors reap the bulk of the proceeds.
Dalung expressed concern over how such systems fuel insecurity especially when young, jobless individuals are lured into crime with promises of money, only to be used and discarded.
The incident underscores the complexity of Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis, suggesting that merely arresting foot soldiers may not solve the problem. Attention must also be focused on dismantling the criminal networks and powerful individuals funding and equipping these operations.
Dalung’s comments have sparked further calls for a strategic overhaul in Nigeria’s approach to internal security with emphasis on intelligence gathering, economic reform and stricter regulations on arms circulation.
