Army begins clamp down on kidnappers in Ondo, Ekiti

Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure

The 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Akure, has begun a clamp down on kidnappers terrorising the people of Ondo, Ekiti and Osun states with a view to restoring peace in the three states. Kidnappers had in the last one month  operated on major roads that link the three states, especially Ibadan-Ife-Akure express road, kidnapping not less than 15 people.

The Nigerian Army has, however, declared its readiness to confront the kidnappers and other criminals on the road and other locations in the three states.

The commander in charge of Owena artillery, Akure, Brig General Zakari, Logun Abubakar, said his men were battle ready to fight kidnapping in the three states.

Abubakar said that part of the plan to rid kidnapping from the states was the launching of the “Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad” of the military. He lamented the rampant cases of kidnapping in the South West, saying
that soldiers would henceforth patrol all major roads in the three states.

Abubakar who assured that the military would fight the scourge of kidnapping with full strength, declared that the days of the criminals were numbered.

He revealed that the military had put in place necessary modalities to put an end to insecurity in the area.

“In order to fight this scourge headlong, we have already launched the anti-kidnapping squad of the military section. This squad, which is a special one would be active, mobile and swift in reacting to cases
of kidnapping in the states of our jurisdiction,” he assured.

He added that “in order to achieve our goal of ensuring security, our men are to mount strategic location of the roads, check on passengers and be vigilant to react to kidnap cases.
“We have identified the prone areas where these criminal elements perpetrate their evil work. They are bushes in Ondo, Ekiti and Ibilo in Edo State,” he added.

According to Abubakar, the Special Squad (anti-kidnapping) which is a wing directly under his command is manned by a trained senior military officer, Captain B M Danlima.

He noted that the army had reached out to stakeholders in the security sector including community leaders and the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in order to further achieve success in
the war against kidnapping.