The Mozambican President on Monday called for heightened police vigilance to prevent kidnappers from breaching the \u201csecurity wall\u201d established to combat kidnappings, with no cases reported in 2026, reaffirming that tackling this crime remains an \u201cabsolute priority\u201d for the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn these months in which the situation has normalised, criminals are probably devising schemes to breach the security wall put in place by the State. It is imperative to continue maintaining a high level of vigilance against kidnappings,\u201d Daniel Chapo warned in Maputo during an address to the force marking the 51st anniversary of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM), celebrated on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The head of state said the results achieved in recent months in combating kidnappings in Mozambique were encouraging, but warned that the country \u201cmust not rest on its laurels\u201d, believing the crime \u201chas become history\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fight against kidnappings must continue to be an absolute priority in the country (\u2026). These recommendations are not directed only at the PRM. They apply to all forces and institutions that form part of the security framework for Mozambicans,\u201d the President said.<\/p>\n
In April, Daniel Chapo said Mozambique had gone six months without any recorded kidnappings, stressing that improved security strengthens confidence and the attractiveness of domestic and foreign investment.<\/p>\n
At least 40 people were detained in Mozambique in 2025 for involvement in kidnappings, 14 of whom were convicted, the Mozambican Attorney-General Am\u00e9rcio Letela announced, also in April, suggesting the freezing of bank accounts and assets belonging to victims in order to discourage such crimes.<\/p>\n
According to Am\u00e9rcio Letela, a measure allowing the freezing of assets linked to ransom payments, where there is strong evidence that those resources could be mobilised to meet the financial demands of perpetrators, could curb kidnappings in Mozambique, a crime that affected 10 people in 2025 and 15 in 2024.<\/p>\n
Around 300 people involved in kidnapping cases have been detained since the first recorded incidents of the crime in Mozambique in 2010, the spokesperson for the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) told Lusa on 23 October, explaining that the figure represents only an approximate number.<\/p>\n
Over the past 12 years, around 100 investors have also left the country out of fear, according to figures released in 2024 by the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Mozambican President on Monday called for heightened police vigilance to prevent kidnappers from breaching the \u201csecurity wall\u201d established to combat kidnappings, with no cases reported in 2026, reaffirming that tackling this crime remains an \u201cabsolute priority\u201d for the country. \u201cIn these months in which the situation has normalised, criminals are probably devising schemes to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":100267,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,7,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-100268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-head-lines","category-policy"],"yoast_head":"\n