• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Reps ask FG to immediately secure release of kidnapped Plateau monarch, others

Reps ask FG to immediately secure release of kidnapped Plateau monarch, others

The House of representatives has urged the federal government to direct the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali-Baba, Lucky Irabor, Chief of Defense Staff and other relevant security agencies to immediately ensure the release of Aminu Derwan, a monarch from Plateau state and others in kidnapped across the country, including victims of Kaduna Train attack.

The House also mandated the House Committee on Police Affairs and Army to invite the Inspector and the Chief of Army Staff, with view to investigate the matter, and report back to the house within two weeks for further legislative inputs.

These resolutions followed a motion under matters of urgent National public importance by Solomon Maren from Plateau state on Wednesday.

Moving the motion, Maren said bandits numbering in dozens purportedly abducted Derwan, a traditional ruler (District Head, of Panyam) in Plateau State, during an attack on his residence in Panyam, Mangu Local Government Area, after terrifying residence with gunshots in the early hours on Monday.

The lawmaker also noted that, the bandits who were more than 40 came heavily armed, shooting sporadically and firing gunshots which left the community scared and helpless and eventually went away with the traditional ruler.

He said: “The kidnapped of the District Head is the latest in a series of abductions targeted at traditional rulers and the clergyman in the state, for instance on Sunday last week, the Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria in Jos Rev, James Kentoma and a traditional ruler in the State, Ugoh Ababs, were kidnapped by gunmen in their residence respectively.

Read also: Lady who alleged kidnap on Twitter apologises

“Sometimes last year and early this year, the Sumpyam, a paramount ruler of Gindiri Chiefdom and the District head of Pushit were both at separate attacks abducted by miscreants and Bandits, respectively, they were however released after huge ran some was paid.

“Bandits have taken their dastard acts to high ways, villages and even cities including some parts of the federal capital territory. The spate of kidnappings, abductions and attacks, has been systematic, well coordinated and targeted across the constituency, the state and indeed the country which is alarming and of grave concern.”

He stressed that bandits are usually having a field day in carrying out and in perpetuating their heinous activities without any resistance, challenge and or confrontation from the security agents

“Hitherto, little or nothing has been heard of any serious or deliberate actions taken to curb, forestall or even arrest and prosecute these hoodlums.

“Unless something is done deliberately in fact, urgently to reduce, stop and or curtail this ugly occurrence which has become a recurrent decimal, our communities may soon be thrown into total terror, fear and or lawlessness.”

In his contribution, Ahmed Idris-Wase deputy speaker of the House expressed worry over the unpleasant situation surrounding the Kidnapping in Plateau and across the country.

He said: “I beg to speak on this particular issue base on the barbaric act happening in plateau When Hon. Solomon Maren came to me about this motion, I told him what is happening in your constituency compared to my own constituency and I showed him the numbers of the videos and the pictures in my constituency.

“I presented three (3) motions so far to this floor on this particular matter, the house is also taking very fast resolutions as to what it will take to solve the matter, but unfortunately we are moving into raining season now, and there is virtually no one or two days passed in my constituency without kidnap, adoption and taking of ransom from villagers, who go out to suffer to make their own living, taking ramson of not less than ten million nairas. I am so pained, it is painful, and every Nigerian should be concerned with what is happening.

“I want to tell you, Mr Speaker and also tell the house that, as of today, I have lost people even after these kidnappers take money, I have lost close to 5 people. “These kidnappers take the demanded Ramson and then kill the people after taking ransom.

“These kidnapping use to take place where you have a small security person, they will go there shoot sporadically and adopt people and go away, not more than 3-4 days ago, we lost close to a thousand cows in my own constituency.

“Kidnappers came, wrestle the cows from their cages, and ran away with them, and the villagers and our locals left. They went ahead, even pursue these villagers and confronted them.

“I am so worried, that I have to do a personal visit to Various Peace Agencies, we will see how we can put heads together to solve this matter.

“I am sincerely pained that after the resolution of the house urging these peace Agencies to put out formation in some of these areas so that we will be able to stop these unpleasant situations, but till this moment, nothing has happened.

“It shows that,the resolutions of the house is not taking any effect on all these unpleasant killings and kidnappings, if, the resolutions of the house have been taken seriously, by now all these would have stopped.”

The House while adopting the motion, urged the federal government to increase the recruitment of more hands in the security agencies and ensure they are properly funded to march the challenges in place.