Insecurity: Ex-NLC Leader Advocates Effective Border Policing, Technology

By Ugo Aliogo

A former Vice-President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Emmanuel Nted, has advised the federal government to adopt effective border policing to protect the country’s porous borders from infiltration by criminals and enemies of the state.

He also called for the adoption of drone technology to track the hideouts of armed bandits and Boko haram insurgents, expressing frustration that federal and state governments have lost control in the fight against insecurity.

Nted, who disclosed this yesterday in Lagos during a media briefing revealed that the spate of insecurity in the country was worrisome especially, the incessant kidnappings in Delta State.

He also hinted that the roads were no longer safe for travelling, adding that the security operatives were either incapable or lacked the capacity to confront the hoodlums, who had turned the roads to hell for motorists and commuters.

He appealed to the federal and Delta State governments to take urgent steps to tackle the alarming rate of kidnappings on Ibada Elume Bridge, near Sapele, Delta State.

Nted expressed displeasure that the federal government, Delta state and the security agencies were not aware of the kidnappings taking place in Ibada Elume Bridge.

He said: “In the last two months, no fewer than 36 persons were kidnapped on the bridge with four causalities. I suspect that the kidnappings had been going on in that area before March this year.

“It was the kidnap of a labour leader in Warri Ports, Delta State that opened our eyes to the activities of these deadly kidnapping gangs perceived to be herders and their collaborators. Comrade Samson Pere, one of the labour leaders at the Warri Ports, and five others were kidnapped by suspected herdsmen on the March 5, and released on March 8, after paying a ransom.

“Pere and his co-victims were tortured, beaten with cutlasses, and almost killed. Pere’s hands were almost severed by armed men with AK47 rifles suspected to be herdsmen, who kidnapped them. Three days after Pere and others were released, precisely, on March 11, 17 persons were also kidnapped. On April 3, five persons were kidnapped.

“On April 7, eight persons were kidnapped. Unfortunately, four out of them were killed probably, because of their inability to pay the ransom demanded. All these kidnappings took place at Ibada Elume Bridge, Sapele, Delta State.

“The number of persons kidnapped on that bridge from March till today was 36 including the four killed. From reports, immediately victims are abducted, they are taken into the nearby forest where all sorts of ill-treatment including rape are meted on female victims before ransoms are paid. Victims that can’t pay ransom are killed.

“It saddens me that the kidnapping has continued to take place at the same place our security agencies have not done anything to stop it or apprehend the culprits.”