J. Shola Omotola, PhD, is a Professor of Political Science at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Nigeria. He is the holder of the 2023 Claude Ake Visiting Chair in the Department of Peace and Conflict Research (DPCR) and the Nordic Africa Institute (NAI), Uppsala University, Sweden. His research interests are in Comparative and African democratisation studies, oil and environmental politics in the Niger Delta, security and post-conflict peacebuilding, and development studies. His publications have appeared in many journals such as African Affairs, African Security Review, African Review, Africa Today, Afrrica Insight, African Sociological Review, African and Asian Studies, Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, Defense & Security Analysis, Journal of Asian and African Studies, Journal of African Elections, GeoJournal, Representation, South African Journal of International Affairs, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, Strategic Analysis, and Taiwan Journal of Democracy, among others. Prominent among his co/authored and co-edited books are the Nigeria’s 2015 Elections: Continuity and Change in Electoral Democracy (Palgrave Macmillan, UK, 2017); The State in Contemporary Nigeria: Issues, Perspectives and Challenges (John Archers Publishers, Ibadan, 2015); Horror in Paradise: Frameworks for Understanding the Crises of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria (Carolina Academic Press, USA, 2014); The Legislature and Governance in Nigeria (John Archers Publishers, Ibadan, 2014).Samuel Oyewole, PhD, is a lecturer at the Department of Political Science, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria, and a post-doctoral research fellow at the African Centre for the Study of the United States, University of Pretoria, South Africa. His research interests cover African affairs, crisis management, development and security studies, and international relations. His articles have appeared in many journals, including Astropolitics, Australian Journal of Maritime and Ocean Affairs, African Security, African Security Review, African Conflict and Peacebuilding Review, Defense & Security Analysis, Defence Studies, Democracy and Security, Geojournal, Journal of Asian and African Studies, New Zealand International Review, Politikon, RUSI journal, South African Journal of International Affairs, Strategic Analysis, and Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. He co-edited Power Politics in Africa: Nigeria and South Africa in Comparative Perspective (Cambridge Scholar Publishing, 2020); Boko Haram’s Campaign of Terror in Nigeria: Context, Dimensions and Emerging Trajectories (Routledge, 2021); Armed Banditry in Nigeria: Evolution, Dynamics and Trajectories (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024). His forthcoming book is titled Utilitarianism in Outer Space: Space Policy, Socioeconomic Development and Security Strategies in Nigeria and South Africa.

• Chapter 1. Beyond News and Rumours: Political Economy of Kidnapping and Insecurity in Nigeria.- Chapter 2. One Means, Multiple Ends: A Strategic Framework of Understanding Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 3. History of Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 4. Ungoverned spaces and Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 5. Oil-related kidnapping in the Niger Delta.- Chapter 6. Boko Haram and Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 7. Armed Banditry and Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 8. Kidnapping for Ransom.- Chapter 9. Kidnapping for Ritual.- Chapter 10. Kidnapping and Baby Factory in Nigeria.- Chapter 11. Human Trafficking as Kidnapping by Other Means.- Chapter 12. Gender Dimensions of Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 13. Nigeria and the Transnationalisation of Kidnapping in the Lake Chad Region and the Gulf of Guinea.- Chapter 14. Kidnapping for Ransom (K4R) and the Challenges of Nigeria's International Image.- Chapter 15. State responses to the menace of kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 16. Non-state responses to kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 17. Kidnapping and Hostage Negotiation in Nigeria.- Chapter 18. Journalism practice in an era of hostage taking: Media coverage of kidnappings in Nigeria.- Chapter 19. Concluding Reflections: On the Political Economy of Kidnapping in Nigeria.

J. Shola Omotola, PhD, is a Professor of Political Science at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Nigeria. He is the holder of the 2023 Claude Ake Visiting Chair in the Department of Peace and Conflict Research (DPCR) and the Nordic Africa Institute (NAI), Uppsala University, Sweden. His research interests are in Comparative and African democratisation studies, oil and environmental politics in the Niger Delta, security and post-conflict peacebuilding, and development studies. His publications have appeared in many journals such as African Affairs, African Security Review, African Review, Africa Today, Afrrica Insight, African Sociological Review, African and Asian Studies, Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, Defense & Security Analysis, Journal of Asian and African Studies, Journal of African Elections, GeoJournal, Representation, South African Journal of International Affairs, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, Strategic Analysis, and Taiwan Journal of Democracy, among others. Prominent among his co/authored and co-edited books are the Nigeria’s 2015 Elections: Continuity and Change in Electoral Democracy (Palgrave Macmillan, UK, 2017); The State in Contemporary Nigeria: Issues, Perspectives and Challenges (John Archers Publishers, Ibadan, 2015); Horror in Paradise: Frameworks for Understanding the Crises of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria (Carolina Academic Press, USA, 2014); The Legislature and Governance in Nigeria (John Archers Publishers, Ibadan, 2014).Samuel Oyewole, PhD, is a lecturer at the Department of Political Science, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria, and a post-doctoral research fellow at the African Centre for the Study of the United States, University of Pretoria, South Africa. His research interests cover African affairs, crisis management, development and security studies, and international relations. His articles have appeared in many journals, including Astropolitics, Australian Journal of Maritime and Ocean Affairs, African Security, African Security Review, African Conflict and Peacebuilding Review, Defense & Security Analysis, Defence Studies, Democracy and Security, Geojournal, Journal of Asian and African Studies, New Zealand International Review, Politikon, RUSI journal, South African Journal of International Affairs, Strategic Analysis, and Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. He co-edited Power Politics in Africa: Nigeria and South Africa in Comparative Perspective (Cambridge Scholar Publishing, 2020); Boko Haram’s Campaign of Terror in Nigeria: Context, Dimensions and Emerging Trajectories (Routledge, 2021); Armed Banditry in Nigeria: Evolution, Dynamics and Trajectories (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024). His forthcoming book is titled Utilitarianism in Outer Space: Space Policy, Socioeconomic Development and Security Strategies in Nigeria and South Africa.

• Chapter 1. Beyond News and Rumours: Political Economy of Kidnapping and Insecurity in Nigeria.- Chapter 2. One Means, Multiple Ends: A Strategic Framework of Understanding Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 3. History of Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 4. Ungoverned spaces and Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 5. Oil-related kidnapping in the Niger Delta.- Chapter 6. Boko Haram and Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 7. Armed Banditry and Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 8. Kidnapping for Ransom.- Chapter 9. Kidnapping for Ritual.- Chapter 10. Kidnapping and Baby Factory in Nigeria.- Chapter 11. Human Trafficking as Kidnapping by Other Means.- Chapter 12. Gender Dimensions of Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 13. Nigeria and the Transnationalisation of Kidnapping in the Lake Chad Region and the Gulf of Guinea.- Chapter 14. Kidnapping for Ransom (K4R) and the Challenges of Nigeria's International Image.- Chapter 15. State responses to the menace of kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 16. Non-state responses to kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 17. Kidnapping and Hostage Negotiation in Nigeria.- Chapter 18. Journalism practice in an era of hostage taking: Media coverage of kidnappings in Nigeria.- Chapter 19. Concluding Reflections: On the Political Economy of Kidnapping in Nigeria.

J. Shola Omotola, PhD, is a Professor of Political Science at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Nigeria. He is the holder of the 2023 Claude Ake Visiting Chair in the Department of Peace and Conflict Research (DPCR) and the Nordic Africa Institute (NAI), Uppsala University, Sweden. His research interests are in Comparative and African democratisation studies, oil and environmental politics in the Niger Delta, security and post-conflict peacebuilding, and development studies. His publications have appeared in many journals such as African Affairs, African Security Review, African Review, Africa Today, Afrrica Insight, African Sociological Review, African and Asian Studies, Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, Defense & Security Analysis, Journal of Asian and African Studies, Journal of African Elections, GeoJournal, Representation, South African Journal of International Affairs, Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, Strategic Analysis, and Taiwan Journal of Democracy, among others. Prominent among his co/authored and co-edited books are the Nigeria’s 2015 Elections: Continuity and Change in Electoral Democracy (Palgrave Macmillan, UK, 2017); The State in Contemporary Nigeria: Issues, Perspectives and Challenges (John Archers Publishers, Ibadan, 2015); Horror in Paradise: Frameworks for Understanding the Crises of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria (Carolina Academic Press, USA, 2014); The Legislature and Governance in Nigeria (John Archers Publishers, Ibadan, 2014).Samuel Oyewole, PhD, is a lecturer at the Department of Political Science, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria, and a post-doctoral research fellow at the African Centre for the Study of the United States, University of Pretoria, South Africa. His research interests cover African affairs, crisis management, development and security studies, and international relations. His articles have appeared in many journals, including Astropolitics, Australian Journal of Maritime and Ocean Affairs, African Security, African Security Review, African Conflict and Peacebuilding Review, Defense & Security Analysis, Defence Studies, Democracy and Security, Geojournal, Journal of Asian and African Studies, New Zealand International Review, Politikon, RUSI journal, South African Journal of International Affairs, Strategic Analysis, and Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. He co-edited Power Politics in Africa: Nigeria and South Africa in Comparative Perspective (Cambridge Scholar Publishing, 2020); Boko Haram’s Campaign of Terror in Nigeria: Context, Dimensions and Emerging Trajectories (Routledge, 2021); Armed Banditry in Nigeria: Evolution, Dynamics and Trajectories (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024). His forthcoming book is titled Utilitarianism in Outer Space: Space Policy, Socioeconomic Development and Security Strategies in Nigeria and South Africa.

• Chapter 1. Beyond News and Rumours: Political Economy of Kidnapping and Insecurity in Nigeria.- Chapter 2. One Means, Multiple Ends: A Strategic Framework of Understanding Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 3. History of Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 4. Ungoverned spaces and Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 5. Oil-related kidnapping in the Niger Delta.- Chapter 6. Boko Haram and Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 7. Armed Banditry and Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 8. Kidnapping for Ransom.- Chapter 9. Kidnapping for Ritual.- Chapter 10. Kidnapping and Baby Factory in Nigeria.- Chapter 11. Human Trafficking as Kidnapping by Other Means.- Chapter 12. Gender Dimensions of Kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 13. Nigeria and the Transnationalisation of Kidnapping in the Lake Chad Region and the Gulf of Guinea.- Chapter 14. Kidnapping for Ransom (K4R) and the Challenges of Nigeria's International Image.- Chapter 15. State responses to the menace of kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 16. Non-state responses to kidnapping in Nigeria.- Chapter 17. Kidnapping and Hostage Negotiation in Nigeria.- Chapter 18. Journalism practice in an era of hostage taking: Media coverage of kidnappings in Nigeria.- Chapter 19. Concluding Reflections: On the Political Economy of Kidnapping in Nigeria.