The Delta State Representative, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya, has called on security agencies in Sapele and its environs to up their games over the incessant cases of kidnappings and armed robberies in the town.
Chief Igbuya, a former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, in a media chat with some journalists, decried the worsening cases of insecurity in Sapele and its environs in recent times, noting that hardly can a day passes without someone being kidnapped or robbed, stressing that residents in Sapele are currently living in fear.
He disclosed that in the past one-and-half year, the security situation in the Sapele has been relatively good, but sadly, in the past few months, it’s like the police and other sisters’ security agencies have been caught off guard and it seems their focus has been shifted from pure security duties to chasing of yahoo boys why the town is under kidnappers siege.
It would be recalled that in the past two weeks, no fewer than 5 persons were kidnapped, while some were lucky to have escaped.
Media reports that one Mr Ola, a surveyor, his wife and his children were kidnapped in front of their house at NDDC road over the weekend, the kidnappers later released their children the same day, and only left the couple today after collecting undisclosed sums of money as ransom.
Our investigation also revealed that in the past one or two months, Sapele has been under kidnappers and armed robbery siege. People are kidnapped and robbed at will in their homes, particularly at Shell Road, NDDC Road, Amukpe, Ghana-Ogberekoko and one-man village.
According to Hon. Igbuya, “the worsening cases of insecurity in Sapele and its environs is becoming very worrisome and it’s getting out of hand and if urgent steps are not taken to arrest the development, it will affect the social economic development of the town.
“So, I am calling on the Nigerian Police and other sister security agencies to up their games and stop this dangerous drift, because no one or nowhere is safe as it is today in Sapele, people are being kidnapped at will in their homes, along the streets and even public places unchallenged.
“You can imagine, a young man who came for the preparation of his father-in-law’s burial was kidnapped in front of the inlaw’s house in the Ghana-Ogberekoko area, and in the past four days, nothing has been heard about his whereabouts.
“Yesterday I also heard that they almost kidnapped someone in front of Foodland in Okpe road in broad daylight, but he was lucky to have escaped, it’s now everyday thing in Sapele and its environs.
“The situation is getting out of hand, the security agencies should rather focus their attention on more critical issues than chasing Yahoo boys in town, they should up their games and change the dynamics.
“In past one, or two years, the town has been relatively peaceful and there was a huge improvement in terms of security, but the situation is becoming very alarming now. You know I was a victim of kidnapping in 2009 and the experience is horrifying.
“No community can experience meaningful development without a peaceful environment. So, I also appealed to our youths to shun crime and take up lawful means of livelihood, crime doesn’t pay.
“I also called on residents of Sapele to be more vigilant, this is not about herdsmen, this is the case of our people being involved in the kidnapping scheme, so we have to be very careful now,” he added.
