House of Representatives member, Uchenna Ogah, has said kidnappers now collect as low as N30,000 from his constituents in Isuikwuato and Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State.

Ogah, who spoke to journalists, shortly after presenting a motion on the issue, said majority of his constituents have fled their homes.
He said the situation is worse along the expressway in the area, as many of his constituents, who had been kidnapped, were forced, at gunpoint, to cough out millions of naira in ransom.

The Labour Party (LP) lawmaker, therefore, called on President Bola Tinubu to deploy security agents to curtail the development.
He said: “The truth is that kidnapping has become like ‘Akara’ business. Almost every day, people are kidnapped in my constituency. They have even resorted to going to people’s homes to kidnap them, while collecting ransom of between N30,000 and N50,000.

“A lot of villagers have fled their homes. They can’t go to farms any more. The only reason I am here is to represent them. The primary duty of government is security and welfare of the citizenry. Even if I attract millions of projects, how would they enjoy it?”

Ogah, who expressed support for establishment of state police, pleaded with the Federal Government to intervene in his constituency.
The House, while adopting the motion, urged the President to deploy security agents around the Regional Cattle Market in Lokpanta, along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Uturu-Okigwe Road, Ihube-Isuochi Road, Abia State University Uturu (ABSU) Junction, Akara Road, Uturu-Afikpo Road, Umuaku-Umunze Road, Awgu-Ishiagu Road and environs.

It also called on the Chief of Army Staff (CAS), Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to set up a joint patrol team to comb farmlands and forests to root out kidnappers, bandits and all criminal elements in parts of Isuikwuato and Umunneochi councils.

The House further mandated an ad-hoc committee to interface with the National Security Adviser, CAS, Chief of Air Staff, IGP and Commandant General of NSCDC to determine measures for checking criminal activities in the areas and report back to the House within four weeks.