BY RAYYANU BALA.                                                  That all well-meaning citizens of Nasarawa state, specifically residents of Lafia, the Nasarawa capital, are now living in fear and uncertainty over the activities of kidnappers is not at all an overstatement. The people of Lafia always wake up to the disturbing news of one kidnapping or the other. Some reported, some unreported. Just within last week, there were news of kidnappings of more than three prominent individuals within Lafia with ransom paid for one death. These incidents drove many people in Lafia into a state of bewilderment and uncertainty, as they left no one in doubt as to the escalating scale of insecurity in Lafia. Yes, I repeat, hardly a day passes by without hearing of news of one kidnapping or the other or without hearing of one attempted kidnapping or the other in one part of Lafia or the other. Our conventional, online, and social media are always awash with such stories. The phenomenon has indeed assumed such a frightening dimension that today some are even contemplating finding some means of securing themselves independent of the state. The deaths of Hassan Yahaya Egwa and Anas Barde in the hands of kidnappers have brought the number of high- and low-profile kidnappings in the state to unimaginable numbers.Though cases of kidnapping and banditry are not peculiar to Nasarawa State, as virtually all the northern states and some parts of eastern and western states are also experiencing this form of criminality, the case of Lafia is today assuming some form of notoriety with security agencies seemingly helpless. One must, however, acknowledge the fact that Governor Abdullahi Sule is trying his best to secure the state against all forms of criminality. His determination in this direction is not in doubt. The encouragements and supports security agencies are getting from the state government are not only fantastic but marvelous; yet the level of criminality in Lafia, instead of reducing, is increasing by the day. While the curfew imposed on Lafia by the chairman of Lafia local government, Hon. Aminu Muazu Maifata, is still enforced, our security agencies were unable to curb this disturbing menace. Even through, there are indeed concerted efforts by Governor Abdullahi Sule to secure high-level security presence and formations in Lafia, all aimed at curbing insecurity in Lafia. Some of these security formations include the Mobile Training Barrack at Endehu Hill in Nasarawa Eggon, the Special Forces Army Barrack at Doma, the Air Force Special Wing in Lafia, and the new Mobile Police (MOPOL) unit in Agyaragu, but in spite of the presence of these security formations and the support from the state government, there is nothing to cheer about. Searchlights must at this juncture be focused on re-evaluating the operations of these security formations and other security apparatus in the state. It certainly beats one’s imagination that despite all this presence of security formations in Lafia and the support being given by security agencies, there are still security breaches in Lafia, culminating in kidnappings for ransoms. Against the background of this sorry state of affairs, there are some security pundits in the state that are suggesting a holistic review of security architecture in the state, including moving some top personnel out of the state. These pundits believe that if insecurity pervades a place, a thorough search, or rather, minds, must be focused on top security personnel minding that environment. It therefore behoves the government to focus its attention on these top officials. The increasing wave of insecurity in Lafia in recent times is worrisome, requiring the government to act fast and decisively. Governor Sule, on many occasions, is being quoted as speaking his mind on the increasing wave of insecurity in the state. At every security council meeting he conveys intermittently, he has never failed to voice out his concern. Even recently, during an emergency security meeting he convened at Government House Lafia, he raised the issue. The government must match words with action; the security situation in the state must be appropriately tackled, at least to get to the solution to this unpleasant situation. It is regrettable that despite the efforts of the government, cases of kidnappings for ransom are still being recorded on an almost daily basis. This increasing case of kidnapping in Lafia shows that there are serious lapses on the part of security agencies in the state, and the government must proceed with immediate effect to review the security architecture in the state in the interest of our people and in the interest of our investors who are daily trooping to the state.