Reps urge Tinubu, COAS, IGP to curb kidnappings, attacks on natives of Isiukwuato/ Ummunneochi areas of Abia

JONAS EZIEKE, Abuja

The House of Representatives on Thursday urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief of Army Staff, Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, the Inspector-General of Police IGP Kayode Egbetokun and the other heads of security agencies to urgently curb the incessant kidnappings and attacks by criminals on natives around Isiukwuato/Ummunneochi areas of Abia State

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Hon Uche A.Ogar (LP, Abia) on the matter on the floor of the House.

Ogar, while debating the motion noted that attacks by the kidnappers, assassins, bandits and perpetrators of various heinous crimes in Isuikwuato and Umunneochi Local Government

Areas of Abia State have lingered for more than half a decade.

He informed the House that bandits and criminal elements have forced the Nigerian military to close traffic on the Ihube-Isuochi road at the Lomara checkpoint for a long time.

The Labour Party lawmaker also stated that the Regional Cattle Market at Lokpanta on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway has persistently been used as a human shield by criminal elements even with the presence of several military checkpoints along the route.

He said “the settlers and traders at the Regional Cattle Market at Lokpanta are peaceful and law-abiding citizens going about their routine businesses over a long period of time.

“We are concerned that continued use of the cattle market as a human shield could lead to such misinterpretation that could make the market vulnerable to attacks by criminal elements.

We are disturbed that the incessant attacks on the communities within Isuikwuato and Umunneochi Local Government Areas are beginning to force residents to flee their homes and abandon their farmlands and other means of production and livelihood”.

The lawmaker expressed further concerns about the security risks faced and untold hardship suffered by users of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway through Lokpanta, Ihube-Isuochi Road, Uturu-Okigwe Road, ABSU junction-Akara Road, Uturu-Afikpo road, Umuaku-Umunze road, Awgu Ishiagu road and other roads within Isuikwuato and Umunneochi Local Government Areas.

He called on the House to ask the authorities to increase military presence and patrols in the

Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway through Lokpanta, Ihube-Isuochi Road, Uturu-Okigwe Road, ABSU junction-Akara Road, Uturu-Afikpo Road, Umuaku-Umunze Road, Awgu-Ishiagu Road and other roads within Isuikwuato and Umunneochi Local Government Areas in order to restore normalcy and earn the confidence of citizens as they carry out their daily business activities.

Consequently, the House presided by Speaker Hon.Tajudeen Abbas called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Air Force, Nigeria Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to intensify checks and other security measures around the Isuikwuato/Ummunneochi areas of Abia State.

They identified the hot spots as the 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, Awgu-Ishiagu road and environs.

The green chamber further urged the Chief of Army Staff, Inspector General of Police and Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to set up a joint patrol team to comb the farmland

and forests to root out kidnappers, bandits and all criminal elements in all parts of Isuikwuato and Umunneochi Local Government Areas of Abia State.

The House also mandated an Ad-Hoc Committee to interface with the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Air Staff, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to determine measures aimed at reducing the incessant attacks of kidnappers, assassins and bandits and other criminal elements in and around Isuikwuato and Umunneochi  Local Government Areas of Abia State and environs and report back to the House within four weeks.

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