Except relations of kidnap victims desist from paying ransom to free their abducted family members, there is no end in sight for the kidnap menace ravaging Imo State. The State Security Service, SSS, Imo State office made the disclosure to print media publishers in Owerri yesterday. According to the Acting State Director of SSS, in Imo State, Shehu Saulawa, the inability of relations of kidnapped victims to cooperate with security operatives makes it difficult for the crime to abate. According to Saulawa, “people in the state are not cooperating with security agencies when their relations are kidnapped. They rush to pay ransom to the kidnappers for their person to be freed and report later to us for action thereby inhibiting us from tracking the abductors. If they refuse to oblige them the request of paying ransom and hold on to our instructions, we shall fish kidnappers out from their hideouts and end the ugly menace which has turned to a basic business in Imo State. The security Chief who agreed with the publisher’s body that kidnapping has reached an alarming rate in the state solicited for the support of Imo citizens in the fight against crime. Saulawa observed that residents of the state are not providing useful information to enable security operatives tackle kidnapping. “From our investigation, kidnappers live with us, operate within our neighborhood as those who fall victim will disclose that there were evidences of people living near where they were kept. So why wont people be able to inform us about the presence of some of these characters within their neighborhood,” SSS Director added. Shehu further noted that efforts are in top gear to curb the excesses of kidnappers adding that necessary logistics are also needed track down the criminals. The Director therefore solicited the support of the Independent Publishers Association, Imo State, INPA, in the fight against crime. In his earlier speech, INPA Chairman, Bright Njoku of Horn Newspapers informed the SSS Director that the body came to introduce itself to the security outfit with a view to engaging in strategic partnership to make Imo better.
