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A stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Mr Hillary Onah, on Monday, countered claims by Udenu LGA authorities and the Nigerian Army on the alleged rescue of fourteen persons kidnapped at Ezimo and Umuosigide communities.
The council as well as Nigerian Army had claimed that the fourteen kidnapped victims were rescued by security agencies.
Onah, one-time Director General of Gov Peter Mbah’s Pinnacle Movement, described Udenu LGA authorities’ claims as “deceitful and administrative recklessness”.
Udenu LGA Chairman, Mr Aka Eze Aka, had in the aftermath of the rescue of the victims, commended security agencies for their “pragmatic efforts”.
Onah stated that the narrative circulated by the council leadership was “incomplete and misleading”. He said that the public “deserves to know the full circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Mrs Agnes Obetta, one of the kidnap victims from Ezimo community”.
He alleged that despite the payment of ransom by her family, Mrs Obetta did not survive the ordeal, and lamented that the council’s celebrated “rescue operation was in fact a contributing factor to her demise”.
Onah claimed that Mrs Obetta’s first son was still with the kidnappers while they were counting “the ransom money when gunshots suddenly rang out from the supposed rescue team”. He said the kidnappers, alarmed by the sporadic shooting, fled with the ransom while the victims scrambled for safety.
Onah urged the council chairman to collaborate with some national and state figures from Udenu LGA to find a lasting solution to the rising insecurity in Udenu, stressing that “repeatedly paying ransom or claiming unverified rescue operations cannot resolve the persistent security crisis”.
The Nigerian Army had in a release, weekend, stated that its Operation UDO KA rescued 14 kidnapped victims during a clearance operation at Orokam Forest, Benue State, which shares common borders with Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The Army spokesperson, Lt Col Appolonia Anele, stated that the rescue was conducted along the Orokam Forest corridor linking Udenu and Ogbadigbo LGAs.
She said the victims were abducted while returning from a burial which held at multiple locations. She stated all those rescued were handed over to the police for further action.
Lt Col Anele said troops would sustain aggressive battlespace dominance across the region, and emphasized that the Nigerian Army would ensure lasting peace and security in the South East.
