Worried by the rising wave of abductions, government agencies and groups have taken measures to tame the menace. Such measures include the placing of security agencies on the red alert by Lagos State government; a wake-up call on security chiefs by the House of Representatives and a 14-day ultimatum on perpetartors. SEUN AKIOYE, OZEIGBE OKOEKI and BOLAJI OGUNDELE report.
IT all began in the Niger Delta region some years back. Initially, its victims were mainly expatriates in the oil and gas sector. Restive Niger Delta youths in the oil rich region found in the evil trade of kidnapping for ransom an easy way to get rich. The youths say in the illegal trade an avenue to get their own share of the oil wealth in their region.
But like a wildlife fire, kidnappers have since widened the scope of their operations beyond the creeks of the Niger Delta to other parts of the country and from the high and the mighty, every Nigerian has become vulnerable.
The gains attained with the implementation of the Amnesty Programme which gave expatriates some relief in the Niger Delta following the payment of stipends and the training of youths in choice vocations and education, is fading away very fast.
Abductions of innocent citizens by gunmen who call victims’ relatives to pay ransom are reported daily in the news media. And the victims cut across the social strata – rich and poor; young and aged; school children and teachers; subjects and royal fathers.
The lucky ones who return from the kidnappers’ den have tales of woes to tell. Though, security operatives often say that releases are made without ransom payment, it is believed that kidnappers collect ransom before letting go their captives.
One of such lucky victim is a Third Republic Senator, Patrick Ani, who released at the weekend in Calabar, Cross River State. He was abducted by unknown gunmen on July 7. It could not be ascertained if any ransom was paid before Ani’s release. But the Cross River State Commissioner of Police Mr. Jimoh Ozi Obeh confirmed his release.
He, however,declined to comment on how Ani regained his freedom from the kidnappers’ den.
When contacted on phone about his release, Ani said: “I don’t want to grant any interview on this matter.”
In some cases, victims never live to tell their stories.
Some state governments have introduced tough measures to discourage kidnapping for ransom in their domains. In some states in the Southeast, kidnapping attracts a death sentence. In Ekiti and Ondo states, the offence carries a life jail term. When Peter Obi was governor in Anambra State, he ensured that any property identified to have been used for kidnapping were demolished and confiscated.
But despite the measures, the incidence of kidnapping is on the rise with Lagos becoming unsafe residents, especially those in coastal communities. For instance in some parts of Ikorodu and Totowu, both suburb neighbourhoods between Lagos and Ogun states, residents have been vacating their homes for saver havens. Gunmen believed to have been stopped rupturing oil pipelines have been raiding homes and abducting residents at will.
At the weekend, a Lagos royal father, the Oniba of Iba, Oba Yusahu Goriola Oseni, became the latest victim. He was abducted at his palace on Saturday night by gunmen who killed one of his guards and shot at his wife.
PTI chief security officer in Delta
Reports also came yesterday that the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, John Odogun, has been abducted. He was reportedly abducted by a gang of five heavily-armed men on Sunday.
The Nation gathered that Odogun was abducted around the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Housing Complex at Ekpan on his way to church.
Sources said Odogun was alone when he was waylaid by his assailants at about 6:45am.
Spokesman of the institute, Brown Ukanefemoni, who confirmed Odogun’s abduction, said the management of the institution was working with police to ensure his release.
A family source added that the kidnappers were yet to contact relatives as at the time of filing this report last night.
The spokesperson of the Delta State Police Command, Celestina Kalu, a Superintendent of Police, also confirmed the abduction. He said the police was on the trail of the abductors.
Said the police spokesman: “Today 17/7/2016, at about 0645hrs, information received by ASP Ogbonna Unata, the P&G 1 that one Odogun John, the CSO of PTI, Warri, was kidnapped at the NNPC Housing Complex gate and his Toyota RAV 4 with registration number BTU 136 CP, was fired and abandoned.
“Patrol teams visited the scene and on search recovered a Samsung phone, ID card and cash sum of N52, 200. Meanwhile, the said vehicle has been recovered to the station. The family is yet to be contacted, while efforts are on-going to trace and arrest the hoodlums. Further development will be communicated.”
Security on the
red alert in Lagos
However, the government has assured residents that there is no cause for alarm. In a statement yesterday, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Mr. Tunji Bello, said the government in conjunction with security agencies have been working hard to address the rising wave of kidnapping and armed robberies in some parts of the state.
Bello said that security intelligence has revealed useful leads towards identifying the syndicates behind the heinous crimes and their accomplices, adding that the government is alive to its core responsibilities of protecting the citizens.
The administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, he assured, will not shirk from its function of protecting the lives and property in every part of the state.
He promised Lagosians to expect an upgraded security measures that will guarantee safety of lives and property.
The statement reads: “We would like to inform Lagosians that we are saddened by the recent cases of kidnappings that appear not to be unrelenting. But we wish to assure that the government will not fold its arms and allow a few evil doers to prosper at the expense of innocent citizens.
“We are working together with both the federal and Ogun state government in the volatile areas that have been identified. We will spare no effort in bringing every criminal gang to book.
“The response of the state government will be swift, total and reassuring to the public in sending a clear signal to all and sundry that Lagos State will not tolerate any form of criminality.”
While sympathising with the families of victims in Iba and Ikorodu, the SSG urged residents to go about their normal businesses without any fear or panic as government has placed security personnel on red alert throughout the state in a bid to checkmate this menace.
He also urged Lagosians to be vigilant and security conscious as intelligence reports have shown that most of these heinous crimes are perpetrated through recalcitrant elements who have infiltrated the state and are carrying out this act in conjunction with friends, family members or close associates of the victims.
Bello advised residents to take advantage of the state’s toll free lines: 112 and 767 to report any case of crime, unusual and uspicious movement or strange faces in their neighbourhood to security agencies.
Besides, he noted that the massive equipment and vehicles donated by the Ambode-led administration to security agencies to beef up security in the Centre of Excellence have considerably curbed crimes.
Assembly calls for
security beef up
Also yesterday the House of Assembly urged the Federal Government to tighten security. Deliberating on the abduction of the Oniba of Iba at plenary, the lawmakers condemned the invasion of Lagos communities by kidnappers.
Raising the issue under Matter of Urgent Public Importance, the lawmaker representing Ojo State Constituency I, Victor Akande, described the kidnap of the monarch as shameful.
Akande urged the governor to sign the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Bill passed by the House into law and mobilise the state police command to man all the strategic points in the state, as well as ensure the effective use of the current dedicated lines for better security in the state.
He also called for the provision of necessary security on Lagos waterways, which have become the criminals’ routes.
Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, who acknowledged the state government’s investment in security, wondered why the security of the people can still not be guaranteed.
Obasa said: “The state government spent a lot of money to provide equipment for the state police command, yet all these are happening. It means what we have done is futile.
“It is shameful and disgraceful if a monarch could be kidnapped in his palace. It is so sad that we lose people to kidnapping and killings every day. People now take to self-help on security in the state.”
Echoing him, Majority Leader Sanai Agunbiade described the Oba’s abduction as an assault on the traditional institution. He also observed that the state has spent a lot on security through the police.
“The state police command is working with the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) for security purposes, but the police don’t have enough men to work with. The government should be encouraged to pass the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Bill into law”, Agunbiade said.
Kidnappers get
14-day ultimatum
The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC ,Reformed) yesterday served a 14-day notice on kidnappers, suspected to be Ijaw militants to stop further abductions and murder of indigenes in the riverine areas of Ogun and Lagos states or face its wrath.
In a statement by its President Comrade Dare Adesope, the OPC regretted that the government has not done enough to curb the deadly activities of the suspected militants, who rape, maim, kill and abduct innocent citizens in their own homes.
It reads: “In this regard, we are giving them 14-day ultimatum to allow peace to reign in our land. If they fail to yield, it will be an eye for an eye and tooth for tooth. We will prove to them that Lagos belongs to the Yorubas and not a no man’s land that they are fond of saying.
The OPC chief decried the shooting at the convoy of the Ogun State Deputy Governor Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga by suspected pipeline vandals in Ibafo, Ogun State. He said the affront portrayed a dangerous trend for other government officials in the country.
Adesope therefore called on Ijaw leaders to rein in the rampaging militants to avert crisis.
He said: “With the mandate of the above named organisation, which our primary aim is to protect the interest of a race, I am here by calling on the Ijaw leaders to call their people to order because ‘charity begins at home’.
“It is a known fact that the Yorubas are the most contented and most tolerant tribe in Nigeria. This is why we give warm reception to other tribes coming in to our states wither to reside or to do business, but if they want to take our hospitality for stupidity.
“We will prove to them that the gentility of a tiger is not an act of cowardice. Before, it was the Fulani herdsmen, now it is the Ijaw people, enough is enough.
“If they care to know, we have information and fact about where their leaders’ properties are situated in the entire Southwest and where their people reside as well.”
Reps grill security chiefs over rising crime waves
FOR almost four hours yesterday, the House of Representatives Committee on Army met behind closed doors with security chiefs in the Green Chamber.
The Committee members took to task heads of security agencies over the spate of kidnappings, killings and other forms of criminality around the country.
All the security chiefs were represented at the session.
Col. Nonye Ebulue represented the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Joshak Habila stood in for Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris
The lawmakers gave the agencies a wake-up call to their responsibilities of protecting lives and property of all Nigerians irrespective of their location.
Speaking at break time, Committee Chairman Shawulu Kwewum cited Abia State where life is almost becoming unbearable due to unabated cases of kidnapping.
According to him, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) could no longer be said to be safe.
He said: “Abia State as one of the original nine oil producing states is naturally affected by some of the challenges facing the oil-bearing states.
“Even at the town hall meeting, several groups and individuals told the committee that at least five persons are kidnapped daily in Aba.
“Records of the Nigerian Police Force as made available to the committee in Umaga show that five kidnapping incidences were recorded in January 2016 (all rescued and released); three incidences recorded in February 2016 (three rescued/released).
“Also in March 2016, four incidences were recorded, three rescued while one died; in April 2016 one incident was recorded while two incidences were recorded in May 2016.”
Kwewum however regretted that the security outfits were doing enough, adding,”even one kidnapping in one location is not acceptable and therefore all hands must be on deck to ensure that this menace is wiped out.
“Of course, this has become more urgent because kidnapping has become widespread and even the federal capital territory is not a safe haven.
“This meeting has become very important because the technology developed to make life easy for Nigerians is now being used to facilitate the extortion that goes with kidnapping.”
A member of the committee, who noted that recent report on kidnapping across the country has assumed dangerous dimension, regretted that kidnappers demand for ransom from victims even in broad day light.
The lawmaker alleged that when such reports were made to security agencies, especially the police, they were told that they don’t have jurisdiction on the area concerned.
According to him, businesses are folding up in Aba due to the spate of kidnappings of innocent citizens with the situation taking a new trend with armed security operatives being killed during rescue operations.
Responding for other security agencies, DIG Habila, explained that ongoing collaboration among security agencies was being intensified to rid the country of all forms of criminality.
He said: “We won’t leave any stone unturned to achieve that but we are appealing to every Nigerian to remain resolute and support us in this task of making our environment safe.”
Efosa Idehen, Head, Monitoring and Compliance, who stood in for the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) said the regulator would partner security agencies to stamp out crimes by tracking all registered calls through telecommunication service providers.
