My constituents at the mercy of bandits, kidnappers, Kaduna lawmaker laments

A Member of the House of Representatives from Kaduna State, Honourable Yakubu Umar Barde, has lamented the abduction of 16 residents of Ungwan Gimbiya area of Kaduna State by a group of kidnappers in the early hours of Thursday.

Honourable Barde, who represents Chikun and Kajuru federal constituency of the state, bemoaned the deadly trend in a statement issued by his Media Office, condemning in strong terms the unabated cases of abduction and killing of innocent citizens within his constituency over the past six months.

He said, “Some aggrieved residents of Sabon Tasha area of Kaduna State including youths, staged a peaceful protest where they blocked the refinery road at Sabon Tasha to draw the attention of Federal and State Governments to the plight of the unarmed and defenceless residents of the areas who are yearning for adequate protection, which I’m not in support because the constitutional right of free movement of other citizens is been infringed on.

“I received the news about the abduction of 16 people within my Constituency at the early hours of Thursday with a heavy heart. These ugly incidents, according to reports made available to me, that four people were abducted at Ungwan Fada Kujama and unfortunately one of them was killed by the armed bandits.

“I was also confronted with a similar situation where 12 people were kidnapped in Ungwan Gimbiya and Jujji communities within my Constituency of that fateful day, to show you the rising spate of insecurity ravaging Chikun/Kajuru federal constituency of Kaduna State, which I represent in the House of Representatives.

“Recall that I addressed the Media on the state of insecurity across my Constituency a few days ago, where I condemned the attack on Bethel Baptist High School Damshi, Chikun Local Government Area, where they abducted over 140 students from their hostel out of which 28 escaped from their abductors and to the glory of God, have reunited with their families. Unfortunately, 2 Military personnel lost their lives.

“Few days after the unfortunate incident which we are yet to recover from, a group which abducted the 18 people in Kakau area of Kaduna State, 10 days ago demanded for N200 million from the community.

“These are few of the heinous incidents that one recall with nostalgia, and the need for Government to go back to the drawing board. And all hands should be on deck to assist the government find a lasting solution to this menace. While we need to help, Government should listen and be willing to implement ideas that are proffer by well-meaning citizens,” the lawmaker said.

Pressing further, the former Minority Whip of the House noted that “the present administration should not shy away from seeking foreign assistance to combat insecurity, because it is not peculiar to Nigeria. But our body language has always been non-challant.

“As predicted by development partners, failure to end the activities of bandits, kidnappers and insurgents may derail the country, and imagine the spiral effects of non-responsiveness of the relevant authorities to the clarion call made not only by me but well-meaning Nigerians on the need to ensure the safety of ordinary Nigerian across the country,” he added.

(Daily Independent)