Abduction: Onovo Cautions Against Ransom

Worried that the problem of kidnapping has persisted, the Inspector – General of  Police (IGP), Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, has advised Nigerians especially people of South East and South – South geo – political zones to stop negotiating ransom money with kidnappers whenever their relations are abducted.

Such discussions with perpetrators of the criminal act, he regretted, has continued to encourage the nefarious business in the country.

According him, rather than engaging the criminals in such negotiation, families of the victims, should alert the police or other security agents for prompt action, insisting that payment of ransom to kidnappers has done more harm than good to the entire country.

He maintained that payment of ransom to kidnappers has made the criminal action one of the most lucrative businesses in the country especially in the two aforementioned geo political zones, calling on the people to always give the police and other security agents useful information that could assist them in apprehending hoodlums in the areas.

The police boss , who spoke yesterday at a two –day security summit for South East and South – South zones put together by the Enugu coalition of business and professional Association (ECOBPA), expressed worry over the alarming rate of the canker worm in the two zones, stressing the need for all and sundry to join hands together in fighting the ugly trend.

Represented by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr. Larry Osita, the police chief, also blamed the high level of criminal activities among the nation’s youths on unemployment.

He , therefore pointed out that if most of the nation’s moribund industries are functional, it would go a long way in checking the problem as most of the youths perpetrating the evil act would be engaged in such establishments because “an idle mind is always the devil’s workshop.”

Mr. Onovo further noted that if industries such as the moribund Nkalagu cement factory in Ebonyi state and the Nigeria Railway Cooperation ( NRC) are functional, the problem of youth unemployment in the two zones would have been reduced drastically as the outfits would have provided job opportunities to scores of the youths.

While welcoming guests, chairman of ECOBPA, who is also President, Enugu Chamber of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Sir Okechukwu Nwadinobi, disclosed that the coalition was inaugurated on July 9, 2009 at the end of a two – phased centre for international private Enterprise CIPE sponsored capacity building workshop with the election of an 8 member local coordinating committee, LCC.

He added that the coalition comprising 25 business / professional associations spread across 7 major sectors / trade groups , such as industries, commerce, and trade, agriculture, NGOs, /CSOs professional practice, oil and gas, as well as hospitality and tourism .

According to the ECOBPA boss, one of the major objectives of the body is to support, collaborate and cooperate with governments at all levels including stake holders in the private sector with a view to improving the Enugu, South East and South- South business economic environment and Nigeria at large.

“Our deliberate strategy is to constantly advocate for business friendly policies to government and its agencies, stressing that the aim was also to improve the business environment through removal of all impediments that would negatively affect the development and expansion of business and economic activities in the area.

Declaring open the summit with the theme: “Security of Lives Fundamental to Business Growth and Socio – Economic Development”, governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu state, who spoke through his Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Chief Clement Okwor, assured that his administration would continue to create the enabling environment for private sector to strive, especially the small and medium enterprises, SMEs, which he noted , remains the engine room for development of  the economy of any nation.