By Our Reporter

Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, has called on Nigerians to confront kidnapping as a nationwide crisis, stressing that regional indifference in the past contributed to its spread across the country.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television, Governor  Sule reflected on how the crime first gained attention in the South through the abduction of oil workers, while many in the North assumed it was an isolated problem.

Sule explained that this early detachment created room for kidnapping to evolve into a broader national threat. Today, the North faces frequent incidents ranging from highway abductions to attacks on schools and rural communities, placing enormous pressure on security agencies and heightening fear across the region.

The governor urged Nigerians to work collectively to eliminate the menace, emphasizing that a problem once viewed as distant has now become deeply rooted in different parts of the country. He expressed confidence that with unity, consistent security strategies, and cooperation between states and institutions, the country can reverse the trend.

Security experts have long argued that Nigeria’s slow recognition of kidnapping as a national security issue allowed criminal networks to expand. Sule’s remarks highlight an increasing acknowledgment among leaders that only a coordinated, nationwide approach can effectively address the crisis.

As northern communities continue to grapple with escalating insecurity, Governor Sule’s comments stand as both a reflection on earlier misjudgments and a call for renewed, collective resolve to end kidnapping across Nigeria.