THE MENACE AND PROBLEM OF ABA KIDNAPPING

Aba, the commercial city of Abia State in the Federal Republic of Nigeria also known as the Enyimba city witnessed a situation of kidnapping,robbery,raping,and killing in the year 2010. Once a peaceful city of the blessed Nigeria, Aba was known as an industrious city including its people which brings about numerous blessings coming the way of the great city in the last decade.Aba was blossoming as a metropolis, people all the way from North,South,Westand even East of Nigeria and all over the world all came to Aba in order to seek employment opportunities,live,school,tourism,recreational activities,trade and Agriculture etc. The city was transformed into a foreign exchange earner mega city when the then Governor of Abia State by the year 1999-2007, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu (MON) transformed the once Enyimba Football Club of Aba to Enyimba International Football Club of Nigeria, with the club winning two straight back to back Caf Champions League by the year 2003 and 2004 which no Nigerian football club has ever won in the past and also winning the Nigerian premier league title, Fa cups, Super four, for consecutive years which boost the economy of the state and inturn Nigeria as a whole. Trade and handwork are the main occupation of Aba people. They lived in peace,helps one another and even strangers they dont know before. Aba was a home of hospitality, Abia State was known as ''God's Own State'' until the tragedy struck place, putting in doubt if the state is truly ''God's Own State''. The tragedy that engulfs Aba started creeping in slowly into the main system of Aba. Hoodlums started kidnaping well known wealthy men in the city, collecting huge ransom of money and freeing them. That was the mainstay of the situation, until the government started to understand that it was motorcycles popolarly known as "Okada" that this hoodlums usually use in kidnaping their hostages. They banned the use of motorcycle in Aba and its environs and the main problem crepts in faster. The provision of tricycles popularly known as "Keke Napep" to the former motorcycle operators where not sufficient to provide employment opportunities to this stripped motorcycle operators. High crime crepts in deeply into Aba, starting from robbery attacks to the banks operating in the city. With no one to the rescue of this bank when the attack was going place, banks shut down their operations for one week because, instead of the police force to help in protecting the lives and properties of the citizens which they swore to protect, they run away when they hear the sound of the ammunitions that this hoodlums carry. The government then go futher to introduce the military police force popularly known as " Ndi Okpu Red" meaning the red barret group because of their barret is red. They tried to sanitize the city but unluckily for them these hoodlums swept all of them out of Osisioma junction where they stays, killing some at the instant, kidnaping some, robbing banks along Osisioma industrial layout and going free without no resistance.Since their resistance is removed out of way, these hoodlums started tormenting Aba people, causing rapes,killing,kidnaping,robbery everywhere. The sad thing is they started kidnaping everybody for ransom both the poor,rich,children,aged people etc, the saddest thing is, if you are not able to pay the ransom they demanded from you, they will kill you or after collecting ransom, they will kill you. This incidence leads to migration of people out of the city because of fear and also their precious life not taken from them by these hoodlums. Aba once a peaceful city known for its hospitality and good economy and favourable conditions started disintegrating becoming a war city. But to God be the glory, the owner of Abia State that is the "Almighty God", intervened to help his state by helping the government to realise after the kidnaping of 15 children in a school bus going to study one early morning, to spring into action to restore peace and sanity in the city. Army troops where sent to Aba to sanitize the city and also to punish any kidnapper if found . Since then the city has once again know peace and people are once again migrating into the city to go about their respective business.Peace has reigned again in the city Aba, to God be the glory.