Kidnapping: Hon Igwe appeals to Umunneochi youths over military

The representative of the Umunneochi constituency at the Abia House of Assembly, Hon Barr Okey Igwe, has appealed to youths in the area to allow the state’s government to efficiently address the issues of trust between the communities and military personnel stationed in the area.

His appeal came in response to an ultimatum handed by the youths in the over 20 communities in Umunneochi Local Government Area to the military to dismantle their security checkpoints and vacate the communities.

The youths who trooped out in their numbers on a peaceful protest accused the soldiers manning military checkpoints in the area of lassitude and complicity in the prevailing mass abduction of community people by Fulani kidnappers.

Hon Igwe appealed to the youths to give the government of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu the opportunity to address the security crisis rocking the areas where the Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr SKC Uche, was recently kidnapped for a N100 million ransom.

The prelate had upon his release by the kidnappers revealed that the whole drama took place under the watch and complicity of soldiers stationed for security duties in the area. He stated that he and his clergy men were held in an area cordoned off by the soldiers for exclusive of Fulani herders.

Governor Ikpeazu has already visited and consulted leaders of the communities, promising to permanently address the issue of kidnapping in the state.

Hon Igwe appealed to the youths to step down planned protests and afford the governor the privilege of fulfilling his promises on the matter.   

On behalf of the entire leaders and stakeholders of Umunneochi state constituency, Hon Igwe commended “our teeming youths for their very spirited and impassioned response to the sacrilegious kidnapping for ransom, armed banditry, and depraved criminality that has bedeviled our erstwhile peaceful constituency lately.”

In appreciating the responsibility taken by the youths in response to the prelate’s abduction, Hon Igwe said: “You made your voices heard loud and crystal clear and we are proud as nothing less was expected of us all under the very perilous circumstances. To be sure, your timely protest and intervention elicited prompt response from all relevant quarters. Your demands are also most appropriate.”

He however appealed that the ultimatum to the military FOB in Umunneochi to shutdown within seven days be stepped down to “let us all maintain the peace, stay law abiding and allow leadership carry out its duty.”

“Our dear governor promptly visited and has fully intervened in the matter. During his visit, all the leaders, clergy, Ndi Eze and all relevant stakeholders held a very detailed meeting on Umuneochi security. Strategic and critical understandings were reached.

He reminded the youths of the governor’s declared resolve that “the end goal of our strategy going forward is to stamp out kidnapping and other violent vices from Umunneochi.”

“Let me add that our governor also received the youths’ letter to him delineating all your demands. He promised to factor them into our new security strategy.

“In view of the foregoing, I am humbly appealing to all our youths to step down the ultimatum to shutdown the FOB within seven days. Acting further on that ultimatum will simply amount to preempting all strategic actions and plans that the governor and Umunneochi local authority shall be marshaling out in the very near future. Needless to say, it will be counterproductive,” he appealed.