C’River: House Of Assembly Decries Spate Of Kidnappings, Demand Decisive Remedy 

By Abasi Ita, Calabar

The Cross River House State of Assembly has enjoined the state Governor, Senator (Prince) Bassey Otu to initiate urgent drastic measures necessary in addressing the alarming upsurge of kidnappings and other security lapses prevailing in the state.

The position of the House was contained in a resolution adopted following a motion on urgent public interest tabled on the floor of the House by the member, representing Abi state constituency, Rt Hon Davis Etta.

The lawmakers, while condemning the spate of kidnappings rattling the state in recent times, also appealed to the leadership of the Cross River chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, currently on a work to rule action to press for the immediate and unconditional release of their member kidnapped since last week to reconsider their step in the interest of humanity.

Addressing the plenary, sponsor of the motion and majority leader in the House, Davis Etta lamented that despite the humanitarian disposition of Professor Ekanem who has devoted 35 years of sacrificial service to humanity, she was whisked away by kidnappers while in the line of duty attempting to save a life after being informed that a patient was in dire need of medical care.

He called for resolute actions from the government targeted not only at subduing the raising tide of kidnapping currently ravaging the state given the dangers it posed to current efforts by the state government to attract investment to the state, but also ensuring that perpetrators face the full wrath of the law to serve as a deterrent to others.

Etta disclosed that “Professor Ekanem, who is a lead consultant of neurology at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, is diabetic and hypertensive, subjecting someone who has devoted her life towards saving the lives of others to this agony is dehumanizing and despicable. As we speak, she is being denied access to her medications and prescribed foods. We must demand her immediate release.”

Speaker of the Assembly, Rt Hon Elvert Ayambem, who presided over the session expressed dismay over the alarming increase in the number of abductions without any reprieve from security agencies describing the trend as unbearable.

In his words, “The 10th Assembly under my watch will explore every viable option while leveraging on the robust synergy between the other two arms of government to confront this menace.”

“Necessary logistic assistance should be accorded the security outfits domiciled in the state to enable them to act promptly and decisively with this monster threatening the peace and serenity of our dear state. We can’t continue with the perennial rhetoric of activating tactical unit without result any longer.”

Members who bared their minds expressed concerns over the rampant abductions of medical doctors in Cross River, stressing that the scenario if left unchecked, will aggravate the worsening shortage of doctors in the state thereby escalating the brain drain syndrome clattering the sector in the country.