We Were Talking About Holidays. Then the Conversation Turned to Kidnapping

Greetings Steemit family! 👋

Yesterday I was discussing with a friend about travelling home for the holidays when the conversation suddenly shifted to kidnapping. Not transportation costs. Not accommodation. Kidnapping.

That was when it hit me how much insecurity has changed life in Nigeria.

A few years ago, when people discussed travelling, the major concerns were transport fares, traffic, and how long the journey would take. Today, many Nigerians worry first about whether they will arrive safely at their destination.

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It is becoming increasingly difficult to separate daily life from the fear of insecurity. Whether on social media, in school hostels, at motor parks, or during family discussions, stories of kidnappings, bandit attacks, and terrorism have become common topics.

People now call their loved ones repeatedly during journeys. Some travelers share their live locations throughout an entire trip. Others completely avoid certain routes because of reports of criminal activities.

What worries me most is how normal this fear is beginning to feel.

As a student, insecurity stopped being just another headline when a fellow student from my school was kidnapped while travelling home for the holidays.

She was on her way to Abuja after leaving school. Days passed without her family knowing where she was. There was confusion everywhere. Students were discussing the incident and her parents were desperately searching for information.

Eventually, reports emerged that her abductors had demanded a ransom.

I still remember how students came together and contributed money in an effort to support her release. It was heartbreaking because this was not someone we were reading about online. It was someone from our own school community.

As a final year Criminology and Security Studies student, I have spent years studying crime and security issues. In class, we discuss the causes of criminal behaviour, insecurity, terrorism, and kidnapping.

However, there is a huge difference between studying crime and seeing its effects around you.

One thing I have learned is that insecurity affects far more than the immediate victims. It affects businesses, education, mental health, investment, and even people's confidence in moving freely around their own country.

When citizens become afraid to travel, society as a whole suffers.

Despite the challenges, I still believe Nigeria can overcome these security problems.

Security agencies have an important role to play, but communities must also remain vigilant. Citizens should report suspicious activities and cooperate with law enforcement when necessary.

Most importantly, we must stop treating insecurity as something that only affects other people. Every kidnapping victim is someone's child, parent, sibling, friend, or classmate.

The conversation I had yesterday started with holiday travel plans but ended with a discussion about survival.

That alone says a lot about the current state of insecurity in Nigeria.

I sincerely hope we reach a point where Nigerians can travel freely without fear and where students can return home for holidays without their families worrying about whether they will arrive safely.

Have security concerns ever changed the way you travel or live your daily life? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment section.