SAN FRANCISCO, October 12, (THEWILL) – The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on kidnapping in the country and make provisions for the purchase of sophisticated equipment, especially those used for tracking, in the 2017 budget in order to militate against kidnappers.
The resolution of the House, agreed unanimously by the members, was sequel to a motion sponsored under Matters of Urgent National Importance by Hon. Babatunde Gabriel Kolawole (APC Ondo State)
Kolawole, while moving the motion, observed that in the last ten years, the incidence of Kidnapping for ransom in the country has escalated to a very disturbing level and has reached a point where no one is safe anymore.
He revealed that NYA International, a London-based firm that gathers intelligence on crime, reports that in the first half of 2013, alone, Nigeria had the most kidnap attempts in the world, accounting for 26% of all such recorded incidents.
“As at 2014, Nigeria was number 5 on the global kidnapping hotspots,” he said
“Prominent people kidnapped in the past include former President Goodluck Jonathan’s foster father, 72-year-old Inengite Nitabai; Kaduna State House of Assembly member, Ibrahim Ismail; Margaret Emefiele, wife of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor; Former Minister of Environment, Laurencia Mallam and her husband Pius Mallam; House of Representatives member from Katsina, Hon Sani Bello Mashi.
“Others are Mike Ozekhome; Archbishop Ignatius Kattey and his wife; Mrs. Kamene Okonjo, Mother of Former Finance Minister; Chief Olu Falae and many more.
“Thousands of other unreported cases of kidnapping had occurred because of people’s distrust of the Police and the belief that they’re in partnership with kidnappers.
“Some victims were deliberately executed when ransom is not forthcoming or security agents move in, while some are killed even after ransom has been paid, making kidnapping the new face of terrorism.
“Presently, school children are no longer safe as the shown by the kidnapping 3 female students from Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School in Ikorodu, Lagos State on Monday February 29th this year; and also two principals and students of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Épe, Lagos who were kidnapped early hours of Thursday October 6, 2016.
“These records no doubt affect the tourism and investment potentials of Nigeria which is trying to diversify its revenue base as some countries issue constant travel warnings to their citizens about Nigeria.”
Accordingly, the House moved that the Federal Government “should urgently convene a security summit that will include all security agencies, all GSM service providers, the House committees on National Intelligence, Army, Airforce, Navy, Police and Communication to fashion an effective response to the kidnapping phenomenon.”
The House also mandated its Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance and report back to the House within three weeks.
Story by David Oputah
