Lawmakers Task Security Agencies To Address Incidence Of Kidnappings

The House of Representatives on Tuesday mandated security agencies to address the incidence of kidnappings and other security challenges around the waterways

of Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State .
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion moved by Hon. Alex Egbona, (APC, Cross River).
Moving his motion, the lawmaker alleged that, the increased criminal activities by syndicates who specialize in kidnapping and other forms of militancy around the waterways in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State has caused more harm than good in the Local Government.
He notes that those criminals have forced law-abiding residents of those coastal and riverine communities to flee their homes for fear of being abducted or killed.

Egbona lamented with grave concern that Hon. Ubi Itam Ettah, a former Chairman of Yakurr Local Government Area, was
kidnapped in Ugep on 9 August 2021, where the adductors escaped with him through the Ediba waterway which runs from Cameroon through Etung – Ikom- Obubra – Yakurr – Abi – Biase – Akamkpa and Odukpani waterways to the Atlantic Ocean.
The lawmaker expressed worries that, the incessant abductions and other forms of criminality typify the height of insecurity that has forced prominent indigenes to seek refuge in neighbouring states of Abia, Benue, Ebonyi and Enugu, and these typify the height of insanity if all these are been overlooked.
He said the alarming rate of crime in the area have assumed a disturbing dimension with the wanton raid on business outfits and cold-blooded murder of prominent industrialists and economic actors as well as police Men and other Security Operatives. These incessant acts of harassing, intimidating, kidnapping are totally unacceptable and highly condemnable.
He noted that the activities of the criminals have brought untold hardship to the people of the affected communities in Cross River State, especially in the Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency.
The House therefore urged the Inspector-General of Police to deploy troops and beef up security to put an end to criminal activities in Abi/Yakurr constituency in order to forestall further loss of lives and
properties and also mandate the Committee on Police Affairs to ensure compliance.