The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, call on President Muhammadu Buhari and Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to fast track the release of its members working with the Zaria Local Government who were kidnapped on November 8, 2021.
National President of the NULGE, Comrade Akeem Ambali Olatunji who made the demand in Abuja, decried what he termed “silence of Kaduna state government since their abduction.”
He warned that the union would be left with no other option than to take drastic action nationwide if her plea for the release of the workers fell on deaf ears.
According to him, 9 out of the 12 workers are nursing mothers and married women, stressing that urgent action must be taken to secure their release without delay.
Comrade Ambali Olatunji further disclosed that the kidnappers have contacted the families of the victims and are demanding N40m ramson.
He said on that said day, about 12 workers of Zaria Local Government were kidnapped but later one of them, a driver was released to report to the families.
“These workers have been in captivity of kidnappers since 8 of November 2021 thereby causing untold hardship in the mind of the family and the union leadership.
“We are disturbed because Kaduna state government kept mute till now as if all is well when it has become dangerous for workers to go to work within official working hours or move about within the local government or the state calls for great concern.
“This is one of the reasons why NULGE has been canvassing for total freedom of Local Government our belief is that if local government is made functional and is directly funded, LGAs has what it takes to tame the tide of insecurity along with the rural areas, our belief is that all security challenges are local, this has further amplifier our clamour for the actualisation of local autonomy.
“In a state that people are been kidnapped here and there, the state government appear to be helpless it calls for concern. We therefore make a serious appeal to the government of Kaduna state to make it a matter of urgency and importance the need to work assiduously towards the release of our members in good health.
“Workers must have the freedom to work, to move about within their locality. So we are therefore sounding this as our first plea, if this is not done, the union would not wait and watch our helpless members being harassed, kidnapped, raped and killed.
“The kidnappers have contacted the families of their victims and are demanding for N40m ramson for the remaining 12 persons. 13 of them were kidnapped in a local government official vehicle and one of them was freed, the driver to go and tell the families.
“You see the scenario was made worst because of the shutdown of telecommunications in Kaduna state. It has further affected easy communication between the people and even able to give warning signals to members of our staff and even the people of the state.
“They said they have to shut down network communication in Kaduna and so many other areas to improve security but what we are witnessing now is becoming worst. So for us, NULGE cannot raise N40m, the family members are so poor, they cannot raise money, these are poor workers whose N30.000 minimum wage is not fully paid I don’t know how they Intend to secure their release. And to make the matter worst government is saying they cannot pay the ransom, if they are not paying they should be proactive and secure the release of these people, we can’t allow them to be killed. Something urgently needs to be done, enough of this situation. Zaria Local Government.
“We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to use his good office since Kaduna state government appears to be overwhelmed by insecurity to come in quickly to ensure that our local government workers will be fully secured from the den of kidnappers, if the situation remains the same in the days ahead, the national leadership would have to take a proactive action to send a signal to both stage and the federal government that our members are very important because the first duty of any government is to secure life and property”.
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