Kidnapping for Ransom (K4R) and the Challenges of Nigeria’s International Image

The global perception, reputation, and image of states are crucial determinants of how they are rated by major actors in the contemporary international system. States with a good global image are at a vantage position to shape the preferences of others and also attract foreign direct investment (FDI). Nigeria, which once wielded a good global image and hegemonic clout in Africa, is now tagged a failing regional power amidst widespread insecurities and other debilitating domestic struggles. Although there are enormous studies on the implications of insecurities and specifically the menace of kidnapping for ransom (K4R) in Nigeria, the extant literature on K4R is yet to interrogate the recurring trend of K4R for Nigeria’s international image. This chapter is the first scholarly attempt to unpack the effects of K4R for Nigeria’s international image and perceived hegemonic interest in Africa. The authors submit that the instability caused by the recurrence of K4R clearly undermines Nigeria’s domestic record and questions its international profile on the continent. Apart from undermining Nigeria’s purported regional power claim, governmental failures and state apathy in addressing the root causes of K4R provide the leeway for other more stable regional powers to challenge Nigeria’s presumed hegemonic status in Africa.