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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has charged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, and other security agencies in the country to intensify efforts to rescue the seven prospective corps members abducted in Zamfara State, recently.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Unyime Idem and seven others at yesterday’s plenary, calling on the police and other security agencies to ensure the safe release of the abducted corps members.
Idem, in the lead debate, informed the House that eight corps members from Akwa Ibom State were abducted by gunmen in Zamfara State, on August 17, on their way to the place of primary assignment (PPA). The lawmaker, who noted that the kidnappers were demanding N200 million for the release of the corps members, expressed concern over the spate of abduction of corps members in recent times.
“In May 2023, seven corps members were kidnapped in Rivers State on their way from the orientation camp in Ondo State and released after paying ransom. The incident accounts for the many other corps members who have had to go through the traumatic experience of abduction in the course of their service to the nation.
“Continuous reoccurrence targeted at innocent corps members has raised significant security concerns, threatened the lives of young citizens, eroded public trust and confidence in the government’s ability to protect its citizens, and posed the potential to mar the core objective of the National Youth Service Corps,” he stated.
The lawmaker added that there is “urgent need for drastic measures to secure the immediate release of the remaining seven abducted corps members following the release of one of them, as confirmed by the Director General of the NYSC on 20 September 2023 and restore confidence in the nation’s national security system.”
Meanwhile, the House has tasked the Federal Government to deploy Agro Rangers, under the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to protect farmers across the country. The House stated that this was necessary to enable peasant farmers across the country to harvest their crops without fear of attacks by insurgents or bandits.
This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Ahmed Jaha, on the need to stop the killing of peasant farmers in Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza federal constituency of Borno State.
Jaha, in the motion, decried the incessant killing of farmers in the area, thereby, making it impossible for them to harvest their crops. He explained that the attacks on farmers have disrupted food production, leading to food scarcity, increased prices, and economic instability in the constituency and the country.
He said: “This not only leads to financial losses for the farmers, but also exacerbates the food insecurity situation in our constituency and the country as a whole. The killing of peasant farmers goes beyond a local issue and has broader implications for national security, as it directly impacts our food production and the stability of our nation.
“It is imperative that we prioritise the safety of our farmers, who toil day and night to provide food for our nation, and create an enabling environment for them to carry out their agricultural activities without fear or hindrance.”
