Abia Amnesty Programme Aborted …As Soldier Kills Repentant Kidnapper

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (right) receiving a souvenir from the President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr Gbenga Adefaye, during the gala night, at the just-concluded 6th All Nigerian Conference of Editors, held in Port Harcourt, last Friday. Photo: Chris Monyanaga

The 21-day amnesty announced by Abia State Government for kidnappers and their sponsors which expired yesterday was aborted at the last minute. This followed the alleged killing of a repentant kidnapper by a soldier.

The killing took place at Abata community in Obigwe LGA where some kidnappers were said to have gone to surrender their arms at Ukpakiri, one of the designated arms collection centres.

It was not immediately known what led to the killing but witnesses said the incident forced other kidnappers who had come to surrender their arms to call-off the exercise and fled into the bush accusing the government of insincerity.

Chairman of the Amnesty Central Working Committee and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Umeh Kalu, confirmed the incident, describing it as a sabotage of government determined efforts to end kidnapping in Abia.

He alleged that highly placed people were behind the sabotage plot.

Governor Theodore Orji had on May 16 announced a 14-day amnesty for kidnappers. He later extended it by a week which expired yesterday when the killing occurred.

It is not known if any kidnapper had surrendered before yesterday.

Sources said there was fear and tension in Obingwa and Aba as at the time of going to press.