South-East socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze, has demanded a thorough probe into the circumstances surrounding the recent wave of kidnapping events along the Enugu-Ugwuogo Nike-Nsukka Road and accused Nigerian security forces of being involved.
According to Sahara Reporters, gunmen who were thought to be Fulani herdsmen ambushed passengers heading back to Nsukka along the Ugwuogo-Nike-Opi-Nsukka route and kidnapped numerous people, including University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN students, and several of the state's top politicians.
According to reports, the kidnappers asked for N300 million Naira to free their captives.
There are claims that the kidnappers have insiders in the security services who constantly provide them with cover.
Ohaneze
In response to the incident, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council asserted that evidence they gleaned from one of the victims indicates that there was communication between the criminals and the security personnel manning the different checkpoints along the road.
Ohaneze Youth president, Okwu Nnabuike in a statement released on Saturday
demanded that all of the security personnel who were on duty when the incidents occurred, should be investigated.
According to Okwu, the increase in the kidnapping is a clear example of importing insecurity into Enugu State to undermine its peaceful reputation.
He also noted that a victim of the kidnapping incident claimed that " the police and the army are complicit in the act of kidnapping at the Opi-Ugwuogo axis."
Quoting the victim, Okwu said the police at checkpoints usually select expensive cars conveying people who appear to be wealthy. "The police will pull over all such cars and ask them to move at once and the moment they move, the Police will release a gunshot alerting the kidnappers to come out.
“From the discussions between the kidnappers and some of the victims, it is clear that some of the kidnappers are serving soldiers. That the kidnappers are using AK-49 and beretta pistols.
“Whenever the soldiers are coming to the camp to drop food and arms, they would blindfold the eyes of the victims.
“That investigations have also revealed that some top security men are complicit in this development.
"That most of the soldiers involved are imported into the state from Umuahia, Abia State.
“That the kidnappers, who were speaking pure Fulani, kept boasting and claiming that there was no need involving the police as they had backings from the high ranking army and police officers.”
He said consequent upon these allegations, “we, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths are demanding a re-organization of security architecture in Enugu State.
This entails a detailed redeployment of all security chiefs in the state.”
“We call on the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, to open up an inquiry into the kidnap incidents recorded at that road.
"These allegations are too heavy and should not be swept under the carpet. They are not too different from the experience of the then Methodist Prelate, Most Rev. Samuel Kanu-Uche who was abducted in Abia State.
"We have the feeling that the same gang just relocated to Enugu State.
“We also demand the immediate rescue of all the hostages. The imported crime is nothing but a calculated attempt to destabilize Enugu State.
"This is why we call on Ndi Enugu to rise, irrespective of political affiliation and say no to this evil plot,” Okwu declared.
Politics and Opinion
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