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 Daily Independent Online.
* Friday,July 16, 2004.
We don’t aid payment of ransom, says Deputy Gov
By Ben Duru
Correspondent, Owerri
The government of Imo State has
not been assisting victims to raise the ransom demanded by kidnappers as
is being alleged in some quarters, the Deputy Governor of the state,
Chief Ebere Udeagu has said.
He said doing so would have amounted to the government
surrendering itself to some miscreants, noting that government was
disappointed in security agencies for being unable to make an arrest
several months after the first kidnap incident was reported.
The deputy governor said
government has never participated or assisted victims with funds to beat
the deadline of the kidnappers. “If we continue to pay ransom it means we
are encouraging what is happening.”
He said the perpetrators of the crime study their
victims before pouncing on them because they believe such people can pay.
Sources close to the security agencies pointed fingers
at the government, saying they have been colluding with the victims to
ensure that the ransom is paid. According to Udeagu, the meeting between
Governor Achike Udenwa and residents of Owerri town was very frank. He
said the governor did not mince words that the issue has become very
embarrassing not only to government but the entire people.
Udeagu said the situation was so embarrassing that the
governor had to write to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tafa
Balogun and the Director-General of the State Security Services to
express his disappointment on the matter.
Udenwa, had at the meeting that was attended by the
Brigade Commander of 34 Artillery, Obinze, the Commissioner of Police and
the Director of SSS, promised N5 million to anyone with useful
information that could lead to smashing of the gang.
The deputy governor, who was guest of the
Correspondents’ Chapel, Imo Council of the Nigeria Union Journalists,
said government would not leave any stone unturned in its bid to ensure
that those carrying out the kidnaps are brought to book. “The child kidnap issue will
reverse everything that we have achieved in terms of improving the
economy of this state.” He attributed the kidnap issue to unemployment.
Udeagu called on the people to assist government to
stem the activities of the kidnappers so that those wishing to invest
their money in the state will feel safe.
He said the fight against the child kidnap gang is not
only for the government or the security agencies alone but that of every
individual because of the consequences of such crimes.
Udeagu urged people with
useful information that could assist the cracking of the gang not to
delay but to do so in confidence to either the police or anyone in
authority they could trust and that their identities would be protected
at all times.
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