“Kidnap in Abia state would in the nearest future reduce to an extent whereby N5,000 would be demanded for ransom.”This jocular comment by a social commentator reflects the deplorable level at which kidnap in Abia, ‘God’s Own State’, has been reduced. (Pics show left, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia state and left, Comrade Uche Chukwumerije, representing Abia North District in the senate)
Kidnapping has become a daily occurrence in the state such that, in some communities, kidnappers now write to people (both young and old) whose relations live overseas to get ransom ready for them.
Very recently, a horde of kidnappers abducted two expatriates with Zerock Construction Company along New Umuahia Road, Aba, the commercial town of Abia.
In the process, two mobile policemen were reportedly killed. A few days earlier, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator representing Abia South District and his convoy were ambushed at Obikabia junction, along the same New Umuahia Road. Though Senator Abaribe escaped death in the bloody attack, his police orderly was felled by the kidnappers’ bullets.
A lecturer with Abia State Polytechnic was found in the boot of the Toyota Camry car used by the kidnappers. The kidnap situation has compelled Abia state government to search for solutions to the problem, one of which is the law passed by the state legislature making it a capital offence.
Because of the ugly trend, an anti terrorist squad comprising the military and police officers now station at the former Obingwa council area headquarters, Mgboko.
But despite heavy military presence in the state, including the Nigeria Navy Finance and Logistics School, Owerrinta and the joint police armed patrol team, as well as the state vigilante services (AVS), crime rate in the state still soars.
The alarming nature of this trend compelled national assembly legislators of Abia origin to meet with the state Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, in Abuja to brain-storm over the issue. The legislators included Nnenna Ukeje, Eziuche Ubani, Uche Chukwumereije and Chinenye Ike amongst others.
A major decision taken at the meeting was that every community in the state would constitute a legal vigilante outfit, aimed at combating crime within their locality. It was, also, resolved that any traditional ruler in whose domain crime, especially, kidnap persists would be deposed. The meeting proposed to invite the Joint Task Force (JTF) to the state to fish out the criminals. Another important resolution by the conclave was the closure of routes which have been serving as escape routes for the hoodlums.
Although these measures sound promising, analysts doubt their feasibility. There are arguments that, rather then reduce crime, crime has continued to grow in leaps and bounds in the state.
A public affairs analyst contends that the formation of vigilante groups may escalate the situation, “One of the factors that gave rise to high crime rate in the state was the recent arms build up recorded in the state during the 2003 and 2007 general elections. The activities of one Mr. Uchenna Amanze (alias Utu) which affected most communities in the Abia South Zone was also fingered.
‘The government should be careful when it proposes formation of vigilante outfits by communities because you cannot entrust the security of a place in the hands of people without visible means of livelihood to avoid the vigilante outfit members becoming the criminals themselves”.
To another analyst, the importation of Joint Task Force might worsen the situation, as the rights of innocent citizens could be violated. He cites instances whereby military personnel who have come to occupy rather than rescue have subjected the rights of citizens to dehumanizing treatments. The Niger Delta case is a case in point.
Not a few have wondered why Senator Abaribe and Hon. Ubani had, before now, not found it worthwhile to address the situation in their Obingwa council area home except now that one of them, Abaribe, is involved.
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