OVER one hundred suspected kidnappers face the death sentence in Edo State
following the signing into law of the state kidnapping law by Governor Adams
Oshiomhole. Kidnapping in the state became worrisome after hoodlums
descended on the state to a level that even teachers were being
kidnapped for
ransom. Lagos lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, a Benin High Court Judge, Justice
Daniel Okungbowa, a chieftain of the APC, Athanacious Ugbome, were among those
who suffered from the kidnappers onslaught along the Auchi-Abuja road, in Edo
State.
It was later learnt that most of the evil perpetrated along that road was
executed by a gang led by a kidnap kingpin, Kelvin Oniarah Eziegbe, who
is currently facing trial in Abuja. Ordinarily, Oshiomhole believes
very strongly in the sanctity of life but on 18 October, shortly after
one of the bloody kidnap operations, the governor had no choice than to
exercise his constitutional powers as governor, by signing into law the Kidnap
Prohibition Law as amended by the state House of Assembly.
On that fateful day, Oshiomhole was in his office attending to state
issues, when the news filtered in that those attending Esan Professionals
Conference, scheduled for Uromi, were kidnapped while one was killed almost at
the spot where Ozekhome was kidnapped. Sunday Vanguard learnt that the
suspected kidnappers, who reportedly wore police uniforms with bullet proof
vests, stopped the victims and informed them that they were under arrest. They
were said to have ordered Mrs Ekhomu and her children to a vehicle while the
chief executive officer of Thomas White Plc. Mr. Emmanuel Obiyan, and Dr
Ekhomu, a security expert, were pushed to another vehicle.
The kidnappers headed towards Sapele. Sunday Vanguard learnt however that
on realizing that their captors were kidnappers and not policemen after he
inquired about the police station they were being taken to, Dr Ekhomu held one
of the kidnappers with a gun and there was a fight. In the process, Dr. Ekhomu
suffered a gunshot on his hand but he managed to escape through the bush.
*Suspected kidnappers
Apparently angered by the Ekhomu resistance, the kidnappers rained bullets
on Obiyan and abandoned his body. The gang that held Mrs. Ekhomu and her
children ran into trouble when men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the
Niger Delta intercepted them around Sapele and rescued them. The body of Obiyan
was deposited at the Irrua Specialist Hospital. The sad incident occurred on
Thursday, 17 October.
Oshiomhole, visibly angry, came to office at about 7:30am the following
day, and called for the amended kidnap law file. While this was going on,
appeal came to the state government to flood the Auchi-Abuja road with
soldiers. Oshiomhole was particularly touched that Esan sons and
daughters, who came home from Europe, America and other parts of the world for
a meeting, were either kidnapped or shot dead.
At about 11am, the governor signed the kidnap bill into law and urged all
those concerned to ensure full implementation. The law prescribed death penalty
for kidnappers.Speaking while signing the law, the governor said government
would do everything within its powers to ensure the safety of lives and
property in the state.
Oshiomhole disagreed with those who argue that kidnapping is a result of
unemployment, saying “no one should try to trivialise very complex issues”. He
said: “We need coordinated efforts to deal with the problem of crime in
Nigeria”, lamenting that the governor does not have the power to deal
with any security officer who might have misbehaved or through whose negligence
the people might have been exposed to any criminal act.
“At best, we are able to provide resources and equipment as we have tried
to do within our limited resources in spite of the fact that the language, the
letter and the spirit of the constitution is clear that security matters are
federal issues which is why the federal government continues to have monopoly
of the police and of all the armed forces and the state security services.
None of these comes under the control of the state government. I am
convinced as a matter of fact that the Federal Government is doing its best to
arm and equip the police and the other security agencies. There are no
quick-fix solutions to the issue of crime. Criminals are not in limited number
that you exterminate and go and sleep”, he said.
Sunday Vanguard learnt however that over one hundred suspected kidnappers
have been arrested since the passage of the law. Meanwhile, fifteen
suspected armed robbers and fourteen child defilers were paraded on Thursday by
the Edo Police Commissioner, Mr Foluso Adebanjo. He said the parade of the 29
suspected criminals amongst whom was a 24 year-old Ifeanyi Nwongi, who
allegedly defiled a girl of one year and eight months, was part of the
efforts by the command to wipe criminals out in the state.
Items recovered from the suspects include five vehicles, one AK47 rifle,
three English pump action guns, three cut to size double barrel guns, five
locally made pistols, 103 AK 47 rifle live ammunition, 505 live ammunition and
other dangerous weapons. Adebanjo explained that 15 suspected kidnappers
were arrested in different parts of the state. He said: “Operatives of the
command, on routine patrol/ stop and search, stopped one Nissan Vannette bus
for a routine check, search conducted on the occupants of the bus led to the
recovery of arms and ammunition and arrest of two suspects.
Investigations however revealed that the suspects are notorious kidnappers
who have been terrorising the state and were on a kidnap mission before they
were arrested”.He further narrated that a crack team of detectives who acted on
“credible intelligence” arrested one Osarumwense Ogbeide and Osahon Uhunamure
at Aduwawa for alleged involvement in various kidnapping cases which occurred
in the state, adding: “The suspects who have been on the command’s wanted list
are notorious criminals who took part in the kidnapping cases reported on the
29/05/2011, 01/02/2012 and 09/02/2012 in the state.
