...Demands Safe Rescue of Kidnapped Joan Onyemaechi
By Unue Emeka
The Anioma Youth Forum Worldwide (AYF-W), under the leadership of Comrade Nnamdi Ofonye, has expressed grave concerns over the escalating insecurity across Delta State, especially in Asaba, the state capital, and other parts of the State, stressing that Deltans now leave in fear.
In a press release signed by Comrade Ekwukwo Elvis, the National Publicity Secretary of AYF-W, and made available to Advocate.ng, the group decried the rising incidents of kidnappings and other crimes. The AYF-W called on the State Governor and Chief Security Officer, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to take decisive action to curb the deteriorating security situation before it spirals further out of control.
The group noted that under former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the state witnessed a level of calm that led to an influx of people from other parts of the country to Asaba. However, they remarked, "Security serenity has evaporated as kidnappings in broad daylight are now prevalent. Delta State residents are increasingly living in fear due to the pervasive threat of criminal activities.
"It is instructive to draw the Governor's attention to the fact that although insecurity has remained a Nigerian epidemic, Delta State, throughout the last administration of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, witnessed some level of calm, making Asaba and other parts of Delta see an influx of people from all parts of the country. However, that security serenity has evaporated as kidnappings in broad daylight are now becoming prevalent. Delta State residents are increasingly living in fear due to the pervasive threat of criminal activities," the group stated.
"The recent kidnapping of Hon. Joan Onyemaechi (Ada Anioma), a former legislator in both the Delta State House of Assembly and the House of Representatives, and immediate past Commissioner of Technical Education in Delta State, has exacerbated these fears. Her abduction from her church premises in the centre of Asaba is one incident that underscores the grave security challenges facing the state.
"In the light of this alarming situation, AYF-W calls on the Delta State Governor to rise to the responsibility of adequately protecting the lives and property of Deltans irrespective of status. The Governor must reconsider and adjust the security architecture of the state to ensure adequate security and crime reduction. Furthermore, the group urged him to rally all security agencies in the state and deploy every resource at the government's disposal to ensure Hon. Joan Onyemaechi's safe release from her captors.
"The Commissioner of Police, in synergy with other security chiefs in the state, must develop new and more effective measures that will not only nip all forms of crime in the planning stages through intelligence gathering but also respond promptly to crime scenes," the statement read.
"This forum will continue to support the government and security agencies to ensure that there is security, peace, and tranquillity in Anioma land in particular and Delta State at large," the statement added.
