Many people reacted with disbelief when they heard of or read the story of a kidnapper, Chindrin David Awu, a Nigerian, earlier this week.

Kidnapping is a criminal offence. It is contrary to section 365 of the Criminal Code Cap 10 Volume III, Laws of the Gambia 1990. Chindrin David Awu, who was arrested and subsequently detained at the Banjul Police Station, was said to have been contracted for this nefarious job by a Gambian who is residing in the United States of America - USA.

According to Superintendent Ma Lamin Ceesay, officer commanding - Major Crime Unit, Chidrin was engaged to kidnap another Gambian who is also based in the United States of America. Amazingly, both the contractor and the victim are currently holidaying in the country.

Chidrin Awu was given a photograph of his potential victim by his contractor. He eventually found his target (the victim) somewhere in one of the hotels in Bakau. Suprintendent Ma Lamin Ceesay revealed that the arrested Nigerian man was promised the token sum of $2000 by his Gambian contractor if he should accomplished this ungodly task.

The lucky complainant (victim), who should praise and give thanks to his Creator for his triumph over the kidnapper and his employer has said, according to Supt Ceesay, "that while he was in the USA, some Gambians came to his house, dragged him out and beat him up. And that, he thought they were the same people who followed him to The Gambia."

Luck ran against Chidrin David Awu on Friday, 5 December 2008, about four days to the popular Muslim feast, 'Tobaski', when he was arrested by the police. However, his contractor is said to be currently at large. Meanwhile the police are all out looking for the man who had contracted Chidrin for the job. As investigations are still in progress, the kidnapper is in police custody.

Kidnapping is the unlawful seizure and/or carrying away of a person by force or seizing and detaining a person against his or her will with intent to carry that person away at a later time.

In a generic term, kidnapping occurs when a person, without lawful authority, physically moves another person without the other person's consent. It is also done with intent to use the abduction in connection with some other nefarious purposes. These purposes might include gaining a ransom or reward; facilitating the commission of a felony or a flight after the commission of a felony; terrorizing or inflicting bodily injury or harm on the victim.

A person who is convicted of kidnapping is usually sentenced to some prison term. In some countries, the term of imprisonment may be the remainder of the offender's natural life. Kidnappers are charged with a capital offence if the kidnapping results to death. They are so severely punished because it is a dreaded offence. Kidnap involves violent deprivation of liberty.

It is compulsory and helpful to everyone to be vigilant and report any uncertain action or activity in your area to the police for proper action. Not all unfamiliar activities are offences but sometimes there might be a clue that can reveal nefarious acts which might otherwise have been overlooked.