Reps ask IG, COAS, CAS, others to clamp down on abductors of Nigerians

The House of Representatives on Wednesday called on the Inspector-General of Police Usman Alkali-Baba, the Chief of Army Staff, Faruk Yahaya, Chief of Air Staff, Oladayo Amao and other security agencies to address the spate of insecurity and abduction of innocent citizens of Nigeria.

It particularly urged Service Chiefs to deploy personnel to intensify the raid and combing of the entire Lilu, Azia, Orsumoghu, and Mbosi communities in Ihiala LGA of Anambra State dislodge the camps housing hundreds of kidnap victims and rescue the victims, including Steady Onome Idisi and Emmanuel Ifie.

The House mandated the Committee on Police, Army, Airforce and other relevant Committees to ensure compliance thereof and report to the House within two weeks for further Legislative action.

The resolutions followed the adoption of urgent public importance moved by Ben-Rollands Igbakpa (PDP, Delta) at plenary.

Moving the motion, Igbakpa noted that on February 20, one Steady Onome Idisi, the CEO of Lonestar Drilling Company Limited, President of Steady Run Club and a notable Rotarian, and his friend Emmanuel Ifie were kidnapped at Orsumoghu in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.

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“Mr. Idisi on the said date checked out of his Hotel Room in Asaba in company of his friend, Mr. Emmanuel Ifie and proceeded on their journey back to Port Harcourt. They encountered gunmen suspected to be IPOB militants at Orsumoghu in Ihiala LGA of Anambra State”, he stated.

The lawmaker expressed concern that a well-known Nnewi businessman, Chief Gab Ofoma was on February 20, 2022 killed along the same road by men suspected to be members of the same gang of unknown gunmen terrorizing the area.

Igbakpa said the House was: “Worried that several efforts made to locate Steady Onome Idisi and Emmanuel Ifie have so far proved abortive as their whereabouts is still uncertain, and the victims may be held in captivity in a camp deep in the Orsumoghu forest where, by the account of an escapee, there is electricity, generators, SUV vehicles, and is like a City of its own, where evil reigns.

“By the same account, over 100 persons are held captive in that camp and are killed intermittently at the pleasure of the bandits.

“Further worried that a situation where non State actors rule over and dictate the conduct of citizens in a democratic country has been foisted on us. It is unacceptable and must be stopped by legitimate Agents of the State entrusted with the security of lives and properties.

“Assured that a properly coordinated and concerted inter-agency intelligence driven efforts by the Police, Army and other security agencies in the form of a Joint Operation to continually raid the entire area, as was done in the past, is critical at this point to address this menace in order to dislodge the bandits and release their victims.”