The House of Representatives has directed the Inspector General of Police Force to, as a matter of the utmost urgency, deploy an anti-kidnapping squad to the Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State to dislodge kidnappers from the area.
It also requested that the Chief of Defence Staff organise a military presence in the local government and its environs as well as other kidnapping hotspots in the country and engage counter-insurgency methods to target these kidnapping networks.
This, the Green Chamber said, was to prevent many families across the country from experiencing a dark Christmas.
The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion of a motion moved at the plenary on Tuesday Hon. Yusuf Gagdi.
Moving the motion, the lawmaker decried the unfortunate reoccurrence of kidnapping activities in Pankshin, Kanke and particularly Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State, perpetuated by unknown persons who have, in recent times, made the area the focal point of their nefarious activities.
Gagdi stressed that since August this year, various communities in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State have been victimised by unprecedented cases of kidnapping for ransom.
He noted that many prominent personalities in the area, as well as ordinary citizens, have been victims, including some who were killed even after they and their families had paid significant sums as ransom to secure their freedom.
Gagdi expressed concern that in the last three weeks, over 30 people have been kidnapped in the area, with dire implications on rural economic activities and the prospects for sustenance and prosperity.
He explained that the demand for exorbitant ransoms by these kidnappers has financially devastated many families in the area.
The lawmaker noted that at the same time, both victims of these kidnappings and their families continue to suffer from the emotional and psychological trauma brought on by their unfortunate and painful experiences.
Gagdi argued that due to the recent increase in mining activities in Kanam Local Government Area and environs, the area has become attractive to prospectors, traders and business people of all stripes.
Regrettably, the lawmaker noted that the increase in commercial activities due to mining has also attracted criminal elements from across the country seeking to exploit the people who live in those areas and those who pass through those areas for one reason or another.
Gagdi said unless urgent and coordinated action by the security agencies is taken now to curb this escalating menace, Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State and its environs may shortly become a new and intractable front in nation’s ongoing fight against insecurity manifested by acts of insurgency, kidnapping and assorted criminal activities.
The House resolved: “Direct the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force to, as a matter of the utmost urgency, deploy the specialist anti-kidnapping squad to the Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State to immediately begin targeted operations to gather intelligence on the kidnappers and their networks and to dislodge them from the area.
“Urge the national security agencies, including the Department of State Security, the Nigerian Police Force, the National Security and Civil Defence Corps and specialized units of the Nigerian military to undertake a joint intelligence-led effort to comb the forest reserve areas in Panksin, Kanke, Kanam, Wase and Taraba axis to dislodge the camps and premises of these bad actors before they become entrenched and more formidable.”
The House also urged the Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to establish a Divisional Office in the Gum area of Kanam Local Government.