‎Reps want kidnapped students rescued by police

The House of Representatives on Wednesday called on the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to spare no effort towards the rescue of the kidnapped students as soon as possible and put necessary measures in place to prevent re-occurrence.

The House equally mandated the Committees on Basic Education and Services, Police Affairs and Navy to conduct an investigation into the state of insecurity in the riverine communities, waterways and schools in Lagos State.

The committee was also asked to make recommendations on ways to permanently arrest the scourge of militancy and kidnapping in the State.

‎The House resolution followed a motion moved by Hon. Olawale Raji‎‎ entitled “Spate of Kidnapping in Lagos State and the Recent Abduction of Six (6) Students of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe”.‎

The lawmaker while moving his motion lamented “the current spate of kidnaping in the riverine communities of Lagos state, particularly the abduction of six students namely; Peter Jonah, Isiaq Rahmon, Adebayo George, Judah Agbausi, Pelumi Phillips and Farouq Yusuf of Lagos State Model College Igbonla, Epe by unknown gun men who attacked the school in the early hours of Thursday 25, May 2017”.

The lawmaker recalled that the school was earlier attacked by kidnapers on 6, October 2016 resulting in the kidnaping of four students who were later released after spending some days in captivity;

He maintained that “the riverine communities of Ishawo in Ikorodu, Igbodu in Epe, Ebute Lekki in Ibeju Lekki and Ise in Epe have come under siege lately following the incidences of 1 April, 2017, where Mr Ademola Salami was kidnaped in Ise town and was not released until 5 May, 2017 after negotiation between the kidnappers and the family and also on May 19, 2017, the Baale of Ebute Lekki, Alh. Salina Kareem was abducted from his village and is yet to be released”.

The spate of kidnaping, he said “if not arrested, may pose a threat to the ongoing investments worth billions of dollars in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, which include the First Indigenous Private Refinery in Nigeria and the Lekki Deep Sea Port, among others”.

According to him, “Though the joint security efforts of the Federal and Lagos State Governments in trying to arrest the menace is commendable, there is need for review of security strategies to avert future occurrence”.

The motion scaled through when it was put to voice vote by the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara.