Abia Debunks Rumours Of Notice-Serving Kidnappers

Abia State government has debunked rumours that kidnappers operating in the state have resorted to sending letters to schools in Aba, asking them to keep some pupils and teachers for them or pay a certain amount of money.
Reacting to the rumour which spread like wild fire and was even reported in some sections of the media, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Kingsley Emereuwa, said there was no iota of truth in the said rumour which was capable of causing panic among parents, the populace of Aba and the entire state. Emereuwa said government received the report that kidnappers wrote to an unnamed primary school in Aba, demanding that five students and a teacher be kept for them for kidnapping.
He said checks by security operatives did not establish the veracity of such rumour and enjoined the public to disregard it in its entirety.
“Though pockets of kidnapping is still taking place, it is not threatening the security of the state,” Emereuwa said, urging residents of the state to go about their normal businesses without fear. He restated the resolve of the government to stamp out the menace. He also urged school proprietors to beef up security in their schools and remain vigilant so that kidnappers could not cash in on the situation to carry out their nefarious trade. Also reacting to the rumour, the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jonathan Johnson, said it would be silly for any kidnapper to give notice that he was coming to abduct someone. “Could any sane person do that,” Johnson queried while addressing the Press in his office, adding “when that happens, it is no longer kidnapping.
While assuring that the police was keeping a tab on the situation, he said it might be the handiwork of mischief makers who intend to strike fears into private school owners to close shop as public schools have remained shut due to picketing by Nigeria Union of Teachers.
Meanwhile, Abia State Government has released funds to contractors handling various projects, Emereuwa has disclosed. According to him, the contractors, most of whom are handling many road projects, were expected to mobilize to site without further delay.
Emereuwa said the move was to fulfil the promise by Governor Theodore Orji that massive projects execution would commence as soon as the rains recede. He said construction activities would resume on most roads in Aba and Umuahia as well as the Adelabu Housing Estate.