TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
The Andoni Youth Coalition in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, has assured Governor Nyesom Wike that it would work with security agencies to ensure that the three expatriates kidnapped by gunmen in their area are freed unhurt.
This assurance was given made by the youth president, Ijonama Amon, following Governor Wike’s 72-hour ultimatum on Saturday to chiefs and community leaders in Andoni, to release the victims, who were working on a road project in the area.
Our correspondent gathered that the kidnap victims, who are Lebanese nationals, are construction workers on the Andoni section of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road.
Amon told our correspondent that the gunmen stormed the construction site at 8 am on Saturday in a speedboat and abducted the three foreigners.
He condemned the act, stating that Andoni people would not want to lose the traditional stools and the road project, which are important to the progress of the local government area.
The coalition president noted that perpetrators of the crime must be from Andoni, explaining that a stranger could not carry out such an operation conveniently in their area without the involvement of a native.
He stated: “We are passing a very strong message to the abductors. We are sending a very strong message and warning to them. There is no way a stranger will come to the territory of Andoni and carry out that operation successfully. If at all they (suspects) are strangers, it must be one of our brothers that led that operation.
“You can imagine, we are about to lose two developments at the same time for a crime, maybe by somebody who is not educated. We are going to lose two renowned traditional first class stools, according to the pronouncement of the state governor. That is one.
“Two, we are about to lose that project because the governor said that he would abandon any project in any local government where the traditional rulers cannot provide security for the workers. If you are not aware, all the agitation and demand of Andoni people in the past and present times has been about the completion of that road,” Amon stated.
The youth president described the governor’s pronouncement as “capital punishments” on Andoni people and appealed to him (Wike) to extend the deadline, so that the youths could work with security agencies for the release of the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
Speaking further, Amon said the punishment should be meted out more to politicians than the traditional rulers, alleging that “virtually all politicians know the bad boys in their areas. They (politicians) worked with them (bad boys) during elections.
Meanwhile, the member representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro federal constituency, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, has condemned the kidnapping of three foreign construction workers on the Andoni section of the road.
Abiante, in a statement, said the action by few restive and dissident youths was not only disappointing, but, also an international embarrassment.
The federal lawmaker charged security agencies in Andoni to collaborate with community leaders, who clearly understand the Andoni routes, both land and waterways, to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of the foreigners.
He said the Wike-led administration that has shown so much enthusiasm in completing the long-abandoned Unity Road, does not deserve such kind of reward (crime) from Andoni youths.