From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
Fifteen people who were abducted in Ibagwa-Agu community, Nsukka Local Government, Enugu State, have regained their freedom after spending five days in captivity.
The victims, who were released early yesterday, April 17, were reportedly returning from a burial ceremony when they were ambushed within a farm settlement by kidnappers and taken into the bush.
Reacting to the development, Hon. Chidi Obetta, member representing Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, expressed relief and joy over their safe return.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Nsukka Obetta expressed gratitude to all those who played one role or the other in securing the freedom of the abductees, especially community leaders and security agencies.
“Their freedom has brought great relief after the shock of their abduction. I am grateful to everyone who played a role in securing their release, especially community leaders and security agencies.”
The lawmaker, however, lamented that the processes, including personal risks and other sacrifices, co-ordination that eventually paved the way for the freedom of the abductees were herculean, tortuous, and, therefore advised that proactive measures be put in place to ensure that such sad development does not re-occur in the farm settlement.
He described the Ibagwa-Agu community where the victims were abducted as a very rich and fertile agricultural belt where cultivation of varieties of crops including yam, cassava, maize, among others and, bemoaned that if adequate security was not provided, farming activities in the area would be affected and it would also affect food supply in the state and nation at large.
Obetta, therefore, appealed to the authorities of the various security agencies, including the police, Directorate of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Military, and, the government of Enugu state to initiate special security operations in the farm settlement to ensure adequate security of the residents and farm crops.
The lawmaker stated that intelligence information available to him revealed that the kidnappers were probably foreign mercenaries and advised that both the security agencies and the Enugu state government should act fast to stop them from gaining ground in any part of the farm settlement.
“I was told that about 13 of those kidnapped were returning from a burial-cum-funeral ceremony they attended somewhere in the farm settlement in a hired minibus when the kidnappers who were carrying guns mounted a roadblock and forced the driver to stop and in the process took all the people into the bush. The other two victims were a father and son who were following the minibus behind.
“So, it is clear that the kidnappers are foreigners and not natives, otherwise, they would have known that the people they were kidnapping were not such wealthy people who can afford such millions of Naira they are demanding.
“The sad development showed that the kidnappers are now expanding their territory from the also rich agricultural Uzo-Uwani region of the equally heavy fertile agricultural Ibagwa-Agu farm settlement.
“I will therefore appeal to the Inspector General of Police to direct the Commissioner of Police in Enugu state to deploy adequate security measures to Ibagwa-Agu farm settlement. I will also call on our hardworking governor, Dr. Peter Mbah to deploy the operatives of Neighbourhood Watch to the farm settlement to ensure that these criminal elements are quickly rooted out of the farm settlement and that adequate security is provided to ensure that farming activities are not discouraged in the area”, Obetta stated further.
He charged security agencies and the government to ensure that the kidnappers were arrested and made to face the full weight of the law against their evil actions and economic sabotage.