Rate of kidnapping in Enugu unacceptable - Ohanaeze Ndigbo

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has expressed outrage over the rate of kidnapping incidents in Enugu State.

Newsmen reports that no fewer than 20 persons were abducted at different locations in the State over the weekend.

Among them were about 14 travellers abducted along the Enugu-Ugwuogo-Opi Nsukka Road on Friday, and a Catholic priest, Rev Fr Marcellinus Obioma Okide, who was kidnapped in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, while a middle-aged man was killed during another kidnap incident in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of the State.

In a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike said the rate of kidnapping in Enugu was outrageous.

Okwu, who noted that hoodlums have taken over every major road outside the State capital, noted that security agencies were talking without action.

He said, "this wake up call is necessitated by recent developments in Enugu State where people can no longer move freely outside the State capital.

"Despite the efforts of the current State government, including provision of logistics to security agencies, we are yet to see tangible results.

"No date passes by without reports of kidnapping incidents in Enugu State. If it is not along Enugu-Ugwuogo-Opi Nsukka Road; it is 4-Corner-Udi Road; if it is not old Udi-Oji River Road, it is the Expressway. This is outrageous and totally unacceptable.

We are saying that enough is enough; it is heartbreaking that despite the number of checkpoints along these roads, criminals still operate unchallenged and take hostages on a daily basis.

"Security agencies should provide answers; we are tired of rhetorics; there must be an overhaul of the entire security architecture in Enugu State.

"It is either the operatives are complicit or they are sleeping on duty; something urgent has to be done about this."

Okwu advised the State government to further strengthen the neighbourhood watch groups in the State to complement the efforts of the conventional security agencies.