Abductions in Kinshasa: the population lives in fear and demands drastic measures
The multiplication of kidnappings of people in Kinshasa in recent times has created an atmosphere of psychosis among the population. The inhabitants live in fear and worry in the face of this growing wave of insecurity.
The testimonies collected by the editorial staff of CONGOPROFOND.NET testify to the seriousness of the situation. Marcel Muamba, a resident of the town of Masina, recounts the kidnapping of his cousin by armed men in a taxi. His cousin was detained for three days before being released after a $500 ransom was paid by Mobile Money. Also in his neighborhood, three other cases of kidnappings have been recorded, one of which unfortunately resulted in the death of the victim.
These kidnappings are carried out by bandits who use yellow taxis, commonly known as “Ketches”. This situation has created a climate of general mistrust in Kinshasa, where everyone wonders who will be the next victim. The population expresses its concern to the authorities and calls for drastic measures to put an end to these criminal acts.
Although the police recently arrested and sentenced a group of these bandits, the public cannot help noticing the ineffectiveness of the security forces in the face of the resurgence of kidnappings. This situation reinforces the feeling of abandonment and helplessness of the population who wonders when these criminal practices will really stop.
This situation also has an impact on the local economy, in particular on taxi drivers who are seeing their number of customers drop considerably. Mistrust is such that customers hesitate to take a taxi, fearing to be victims of a kidnapping. The economic consequences of this insecurity are therefore significant and must be taken into account.
It is therefore imperative that the competent authorities, both at the national and provincial level, take urgent measures to put an end to these abductions. The security of the inhabitants of Kinshasa must be ensured and effective means must be deployed to track down and arrest these criminals.
The population of Kinshasa can no longer live in permanent fear. It is time for concrete actions to be taken to restore security and confidence in the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The safety of citizens must be a top priority and lasting solutions must be put in place to end this wave of kidnappings which threatens the stability and well-being of the population.