Abanobi v The State and the Evil of Kidnapping

A learned Senior Advocate, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, critically examines the pervasive issue of kidnapping in Nigeria through the lens of the case *Abanobi v The State*. The case involved the abduction of a 98-year-old woman, who was held captive in the trunk of a car. Adegboruwa defines kidnapping using established legal dictionaries, such as Black's Law Dictionary and Collins English Dictionary, emphasizing it as the forcible abduction or stealing away of a person, often for ransom. He underscores the severity of this crime, noting that some statutes prescribe the death penalty, placing it on par with murder due to the intent to deprive a victim of their life. The author expresses profound condemnation for the act, particularly when targeting a vulnerable elderly individual, describing it as an act bordering on irredeemable depravity. He highlights the near-fatal ordeal the victim endured, narrowly escaping death from exhaustion and suffocation due to the inhumane conditions. While acknowledging the socioeconomic challenges faced by Nigerian youth, Adegboruwa firmly states that such difficulties cannot justify kidnapping. He implores the government to intensify efforts in job creation and youth empowerment. Simultaneously, he appeals to young people to embrace contentment, diligence, and honest work as the path to lasting prosperity, warning against seeking shortcuts to wealth.

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Morally speaking, it is wrong to steal anything, how much less a human being.