Kidnapping: Nasarawa Assembly asks council bosses to hold security summit

Piqued by the spate of kidnapping in Nasarawa State, the House of Assembly has called on local council chairmen to organise security summits. The Speaker, Danladi Jatau, made this known in Lafia yesterday while reading the House resolution on a matter of public interest raised by the Deputy Speaker, Muhammad Adamu Oyanki, regarding growing incidents of kidnapping in the state.

Jatau, who commended the motion’s mover and members for their positive contributions on the matter, lamented that the residents live constantly in fear and can no longer freely move above to conduct their legitimate businesses.

“We urge the security agencies to be more committed and re-strategise their operations to tackle kidnapping. The kidnapping law passed by the Nasarawa State House of Assembly will be strictly obeyed, and anyone found wanting will be dealt with according to the law,” he said. The Speaker also directed all the 13 local council bosses to organise security summits in their areas to address the menace.

“All council chairmen should collaborate with traditional rulers and security agencies in their domain and summon a security summit within two weeks to find lasting solutions to the issue of kidnapping in the state,” he said.

The Speaker also called on the state’s people to join hands with security agents in tackling kidnapping and other criminal acts.

Members of the House urged security agencies to be more committed to their duties and protect the lives and property of the citizenry. They said that people of their constituencies can no longer sleep with their eyes closed.

They also urged security agencies to adopt modern technology to combat kidnapping and other crimes. Earlier, Oyanki said: “Mr Speaker and my honourable colleagues, the issue of forceful abduction and kidnapping is a matter of concern in my constituency. Kidnapping has become a serious problem in my constituency. Every day and night, people are being kidnapped,”