Kidnapping: Deploy soldiers on Benin-Auchi Road, NBA begs FG

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN — FOLLOWING incessant kidnap operations along the Benin-Auchi Road, Edo State, Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Ekpoma branch, has appealed to the state Chief Judge, Justice Cromwell Idahosa, to prevail on the Federal Government to deploy soldiers along the route.

Meanwhile, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the National President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Dr. Felix Omobude, would on September 28, storm the ancient city of Benin for a one-week prayer session against kidnapping and terrorism in Nigeria.

The programme will take place at the Gospel Light International Ministries, GLIM, a.k.a. New Covenant Gospel Church, Benin.

A statement by the PFN President, who doubles as the President-General of the Gospel Light International Ministries, said other clerics expected at the event includes Bishop Mike Okonkwo, Dr. Uma Ukpai, Bishop Simeon Okah and others.

Omobude said that special prayers will be offered to God to help the nation overcome the persistent kidnapping of Nigerians, terrorism and other violent crimes militating against the country.

NBA made its appeal for the deployment of soldiers on Auchi road, following the kidnap of a High Court Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, and other victims along the Benin-Auchi Road.

The Judge regained his freedom after spending 16 days in the hands of the kidnappers.

Chairman of Ekpoma Branch of NBA, Bola Adekanle, who made the appeal when he led the newly elected members of NBA on a courtesy visit on the Chief Judge, said the absence of men of the Joint Task Force along that road had made the place a haven for kidnappers.

He said: “We appeal to you, My Lord, to prevail on the state government and the Army to provide security patrol along that road so that the lives of our members will be safe.”

Criminal code amendment

Adekanle also called for the amendment of the Nigeria criminal code to include cyber crimes for easy prosecution of such cases.

He said: “We commend the Chief Justice for the bold step he has taken to amend the criminal procedure of Edo State to quicken the dispensation of justice. We are appealing to him to do the same in the criminal code because it is long overdue for amendment.

“There are some crimes in Nigeria today that are not captured in the criminal code, particularly the internet crime. There is no provision in the criminal code we can use to prosecute them.

“We appeal to him to also put machinery in motion to arrange for the amendment so that all these cyber crimes can adequately be captured and we will be able to prosecute those that are involve in the crime.”

Responding, Justice Idahosa thanked them for the visit and for upholding justice, assuring them that all their appeals would be looked into.

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