Analysis of Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) Influence on Kidnapping Incidents in Igabi Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study analyzes the influence of land use and land cover (LULC) on kidnapping incidents in Igabi Local Government Area (L.G.A.) of Kaduna State between 2019 and 2022. Kidnapping is conceptualized as the unlawful seizure, confinement, or abduction of a person, typically for ransom or political leverage. In recent years, Igabi L.G.A. has emerged as a kidnapping hotspot. This necessitates the application of geospatial techniques to assess its environmental dimensions and dynamics by examining how LULC patterns relate to the spatial distribution of abductions. Point data showing the location of incidents for this study were obtained from the Department of State Services (DSS), while satellite data were obtained from the European Space Agency (ESA) Sentinel‑2 for classification, categorization, mapping, and analysis of LULC dynamics. Analysis revealed that 105, 358, 552, and 403 persons were kidnapped in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively. This amounts to a total of 1,418 victims over the four years, with approximately 26% fatalities recorded over the study years. Findings also indicated that a higher number of abductions occurred in locations outside built‑up zones, made up of 96% vegetative cover as confirmed by the LULC classification of Igabi L.G.A. The study area consists of extensive open spaces which are largely cultivated, reinforcing the persistence of kidnapping as a major threat to agricultural and socio‑economic activities in Kaduna State. Given the study area’s strategic position as a transportation corridor linking several important cities and towns, the insecurity also poses broader national implications. The study therefore advocates for the systematic integration of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in further analysis to enhance intelligence gathering, operational planning, and hotspot‑based deployment, thereby improving security effectiveness and mitigating the kidnapping scourge in this volatile region.