A retired Nigerian general has been kidnapped in the north-west of the country. This is a region where the UK government has been advising on security. The timing is awkward. The kidnapping exposes the limits of that advice.
Sources in the Ministry of Defence confirm the general was taken from his home in Kaduna state. Armed men, suspected to be bandits, struck late on Tuesday night. They overpowered his security detail. The general's whereabouts are unknown. A ransom demand is expected.
The British government has a small team in the region. They offer training and intelligence support. They are part of a wider effort to stabilise the north-west. That effort now looks fragile. The kidnapping will reignite questions about the effectiveness of UK policy.
Opposition MPs are circling. They want to know what the British advisers were doing when this happened. They will demand answers in the House. The Foreign Office will play down the incident. They will stress that the UK cannot prevent every crime. But the optics are terrible.
Labour's shadow Africa minister has already issued a statement. She calls for a review of the security partnership. She says taxpayers' money is being wasted. The government will push back. They will point to successes in the region. But this kidnapping undermines that narrative.
The abducted general is a senior figure in the Nigerian military establishment. He served in the campaign against Boko Haram. His kidnapping is a propaganda coup for the bandits. It shows they can target anyone, anywhere.
Whitehall is nervous. They fear this could be the start of a new wave of kidnappings. British nationals remain a target. The travel advice for the region will likely be updated. The Foreign Office will advise against all but essential travel. That will hurt British business interests in the area.
The kidnapping has already affected the security dialogue. The Nigerian government is privately furious. They feel the UK should have done more. They are right. But the reality is the UK's influence is limited. The security situation in the north-west is deteriorating fast.
The next 48 hours are critical. If the general is not released quickly, the political fallout will intensify. The prime minister will face questions at PMQs. The Conservative benches will be restless. They don't want another embarrassing security story.
Watch for statements from the Ministry of Defence. They will emphasise the UK's commitment to Nigeria's stability. But the real story is the failure of the security partnership. The generals in Abuja will be reassessing their ties with London.
This kidnapping is a body blow to UK influence in the region. The game is changing. The government needs to rethink its strategy. The backbenches are sharpening their knives.
