15 people kidnapped within 5 days in Gombe, says Ex-Reps member

It has been lamented that just within the last five days, no fewer than 15 persons have been kidnapped in Kaltungo LGA of Gombe State, setting the peaceful town into mourning.

The development was confirmed by the Paramount Ruler of Kaltungo, the Mai Kaltungo, Mr Saleh Mohammed, when he received Fatima Binta Bello who went to condole him over the development in the area.

During the visit, The Federal Government was berated for promising but failing to address the rampant banditry and kidnappings that has continued unabated in the land thereby putting every Nigerian at the risk of insecurity.

The assertion was made by a former member of the House of Representatives who represented Kaltungo/Shongom Federal Constituency of Gombe State, Hajiya Fatima Binta Bello.

Fatima Binta Bello who was Deputy Minority Whip (PDP) in the House, told newsmen shortly after she donated 204 chairs and 204 computer tables to the Kaltungo Model CBT Centre (JAMB Centre), that the kidnapping is becoming unbearable to the ordinary people and even the government in power.

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The former Reps member, while expressing her pains said that the kidnappers even pick people who cannot pay the ransom that is being demanded.

She said that, “the situation is becoming unbearable for the people and even the Government of the day. I call on government to make security their number one priority for everybody because that is the reason for being in government.”

The woman politician also said that,
“They (FG) promised to protect the lives and property of the people, but as the Mai Kaltungo confirmed, kidnappers have picked more than 15 people, many are less privileged who can barely have N1,000 of their own and they (kidnappers) are demanding N50, N60, N100 million ransom.”

Fatima Bello further said that, “This is madness, if Government was working right, things wouldn’t have been this way. People are living in hunger, hike in prices of petrol and other commodities, I don’t know where we are heading to in Nigeria, I have pains but that is not why I’m here for now,” she complained bitterly.

She, however, called on communities to mobilize themselves into Community Vigilante in collaboration with security agents to secure themselves from the criminals stressing that security is the business of every person.

Speaking on the donation to the JAMB Centre, she said that her Foundation, Fatima Binta Bello Trust Foundation for Education and Child Upliftment was requested to intervene and within no time, the Foundation assisted, more so, seeing that the JAMB exams is just by the corner.

She added that it will go a long way in addressing the challenges of the entire Southern Gombe Senatorial zone which has no JAMB Centre saying, “I value education and want every Nigerian child to be educated to the maximum level. I have passion of encouraging women to go to school.”

The former Federal legislator stressed that, “Education is the bedrock of a better society, I always encourage society and community leaders to send their women to school to learn. Even if they will not be in Government, let them have formal education.”

In his response, the Mai Kaltungo, Engnr Saleh Mohammed lamented the spate of insecurity in the area calling on security agencies to stand up to the occasion by protecting lives and property of innocent citizens.

The traditional ruler commended the politician for her kind gesture towards Uplifting education in the area calling on others to emulate the gesture.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE