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| Amobi Ogar |
Amobi Ogar, a representative for Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in Abia State, Southeast Nigeria, claims that people are currently being abducted in his district for as little as N30,000 ransom.
Ogar, the younger brother of All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development Uche Ogar, lamented the prevalence of kidnapping, banditry, and other violent crimes in his federal district. He added that people's homes were being broken into to take people in exchange for ransoms as low as N30,000 (about $39).
According to a DailyTrust, the Labour Party member stated on Thursday that the protection of residents' lives and property is the main goal of government after proposing a motion regarding the issue at plenary.
He said, “Today, I moved a motion over incessant attacks on my people (constituents). Kidnapping has become like ‘akara’ (bean cake) business in my constituency.
“People are kidnapped almost every day. Not one, two or three. To the extent that they (abductors) are now going to people’s homes to carry them at ransoms of N50,000, N30,000.
“It is now a serious issue for me to move it on the floor of the house so that Nigerians will hear. As I speak, a lot of villagers have fled their homes, even our mothers don’t go to farms anymore.”
Daily Trust reports that the House of Representatives while adopting Ogar’s motion, urged President Bola Tinubu to direct all the security agencies to ensure security around Regional Cattle Market in Lokpanta along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Uturu-Okigwe Road, Ihube-Isuochi Road, ABSU Junction-Akara Road; Uturu-Afikpo Road, Umuaku-Umunze Road and Awgu-Ishiagu Road and their environs where the kidnappers have converted to their safe haven.
The House ordered the Inspector General of Police, the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Chief of Army Staff to form a joint patrol team that will search farmland and forests for kidnappers, bandits, and any other criminal elements throughout the Isuikwuato and Umunneochi local government areas of Abia State.