Incident Summary:
05/25/2017: Assailants abducted ten students from Lagos State Model College in Igbonla, Lagos, Nigeria. Four hostages were released later the same day and the other six victims were released unharmed on July 28, 2017. The Niger Delta Forest Army (NDFA) claimed responsibility for the incident and demanded inclusion within the government's amnesty program. Sources also posited that the assailants demanded a ransom in exchange for the victims.
Overview
GTD ID:
201705250028
When:
2017-05-25
Country:
Nigeria
Region:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Lagos
City:
Igbonla
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
Lagos State Model College |
Specific Description |
Students |
Nationality of Target |
Nigeria |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
10 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Days of Kidnapping |
64 |
Outcome |
Hostage(s) released by perpetrators |
Ransom |
Yes |
Total Ransom Amount Demanded |
2715550.00 |
Ransom Amount Demanded from US Sources |
0.00 |
Total Ransom Amount Paid |
Unknown |
Total Ransom Amount Paid by US Sources |
Unknown |
Ransom Notes |
The assailants demanded $2,715,550 (1 billion Naira) for the release of the hostages. |
Property Damage |
No |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Firearms |
Unknown Gun Type |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
No |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
Yes |
Alternate Designation () |
Other Crime Type |
Additional Information |
There is doubt that this incident meets terrorism-related criteria. Sources suspected that the assailants may have belonged to a criminal gang. Sources also noted that four students were released after the assailants determined that their parents would not be able to pay a ransom. The victims included Peter Jonah, Isiaq Rahmon, Adebayo George, Judah Agbausi, Pelumi Philips, and Farouq Yusuf. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
0 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
0 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
"Search for abducted children in Nigeria," BBC, May 26, 2017. |
"[ July 31, 2017 ] Igbonla Kidnap: Militant group claims responsibility, threatens to wreck more havoc Latest News," Nigerian Tribune, July 31, 2017. |
"Breaking: Six students kidnapped in Epe released," Vanguard, July 28, 2017. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties