ZAMFARA JOURNAL OF POLITICS AND DEVELOPMENT VOL 4 /No 1 /2023 267 KIDNAPPING FOR RANSOM AND ITS SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS IN NIGERIA’S NORTH-WEST (2010-2022): EVIDENCE FROM KATSINA STATE YUSUFU AHMED AUDU, PHD Department of Political Science Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State Corresponding Author’s E-Mail:aauduyusuf@gmail.com IDREES Mahmud Gana Department of Political Science Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State & MAMMAN Aliyu Department of Political Science Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State ABSTRACT The paper investigated kidnapping as an emergent security challenge and its socio-economic effects in Nigeria’s north-west region using Katsina state as a reference point between 2010 and 2022. Theoretically the paper deployed Routine Activity Theory (RAT) as its framework of analysis while methodologically the paper employed mixed methods approach with quantitative dominance in data collection and analysis. Research hypotheses were tested at 5% level of significance using non-parametric statistics (chi- square). Findings revealed that unemployment and poverty are the major factors responsible for the rising incidences of kidnapping in the state. Findings also showed that, loss of the lives of some victims, financial loss through payment of ransom, forceful closure of businesses; forceful closure of schools; and restrictions in farming activities were the major socio-economic effects of kidnapping in the state. Further finding revealed that Katsina state’s response to kidnapping in particular and armed banditry in general through amnesty programme and dialogues among others have not effectively curtailed its occurrence in the state. The paper thus concluded that kidnapping would continue to remain a major security challenge in the state in particular and the north-west in general as long as the sponsors/handlers of kidnappers are not identified and made to face the full wrath of the law. The paper recommended among others that government should come up with new policies on employment creation and poverty alleviation so as to reduce the number of idle hands on the streets; identify and prosecute the sponsors/handlers of kidnappers so as to serve as deterrent to others. Keywords: Effects, kidnapping, security challenge, socio-economic & ransom Introduction The phenomenon of kidnapping is not a novel social problem in the World. The phenomenon manifests in different forms, dimensions, degrees and intensity in terms of its practice in different parts of the World. Kidnapping has been experienced in different countries irrespective of whether they are developed or not. For instance, the menace of kidnapping has been experienced in Mexico, the United States of America (USA), Iraq, Cameroon, and Nigeria among others. According to the U.S Department of State (2014), Mexico was reported to have suffered an estimated 105,682 kidnapping cases in 2012 alone. According to the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, roughly 800,000 children are reported missing each year in the USA alone (Ene, 2018) Kidnapping for ransom is an emerging security challenge in Nigeria’s North-West region. Kidnapping actually started on 25th February 2006 in Nigeria by the abduction of expatriate oil company employees in the Niger Delta region, which was displayed as an open message to the World for many years of marginalization, injustice, exploitation, and underdevelopment of the oil-rich region (Akpan, 2010). Since then, the phenomenon of kidnapping became openly commercialized in several parts of the country, including the North-Western region. The phenomenon has since then become a big money spinning