THE current security challenges facing the country, especially in the North remind Nigerians, most especially Ndigbo of the predicament and frustrations faced by their people at the peak of kidnapping in the South East zone. Worst hit by the menace then was Abia State with its commercial city, Aba, overtaken by the dare devil kidnappers. Residents of the city fled en masse and the once bubbling and ever-busy city became deserted.

hile other states in the zone battled with the menace, that of Abia State was the most celebrated and publicized for reasons best known to the sponsors of the crime in the State. Some cynics of the government even called for Governor Theodore Orji’s resignation for his failure to secure the state.

But if not for their amnesia, how would they have forgotten so soon that before the upsurge in kidnapping in the state, there was a failed attempt to assassinate Governor Orji when his convoy was attacked by hoodlums within the boundary between Abia State and Imo State. That was in late 2007  on his way to Umuahia from the Owerri airport. But for God and the courage of his security team, the attack may have ended tragically and those behind it would have their way by swearing-in his then deputy, Comrade Chris Akomas, who was later impeached. The state was yet to recover from the shock of that attack on the Governor, when armed bandits took over the cities of Umuahia and Aba, forcing banks and other private and public commercial operators to close shop.

Government efforts to curb them initially proved futile as the robbers often over-empowered and outsmarted the security agents with their sophisticated weapons and tactics. The situation took a turn for the worse when kidnapping crept into the state. Many saw the development as politically-motivated, considering the changes in the tide of political equation in the state that did not go down well with some people, most aggrieved politicians.  Just like the Boko Haram sect, the kidnappers at a time became very tactful, desperate and sophisticated in operations, outsmarting security agents at will.

Some cynics called for the Governor’s resignation, just like some people who are not comfortable with the President Jonathan government are calling for his resignation in the face of daunting security challenges that are novel, suicidal and can overwhelm any government.

Realising the enormity of the security challenges and its crippling effects on the economy of the state, with Aba becoming a haven for the kidnappers, Governor Orji took courageous and bold steps to tackle it. A bill was passed by the State House of Assembly making kidnapping a capital offence. It provided that whoever was caught in the act shall forfeit all he had acquired to the state government, as it is believed that such proceeds were from kidnapping. It was only after signing the bill into law that Governor Orji dangled stick and carrot before the kidnappers, granting them amnesty which few of them accepted, but other die-hards led by the notorious Osisikankwo and their sponsors rebuffed it.

At a time policemen in the state were accused of conniving with the kidnappers to destabilise the state, especially when it became obvious that despite the state government’s support to them, which included the provision of more than 250 patrol vehicles, increased allowances and other incentives, kidnappers were having a field day. But in the face of all these, Governor Orji remained undaunted in funding security agents to combat crimes.

The state government, for instance, released billions of naira in providing necessary logistics to the Joint Military Task Force that battled the kidnappers to submission while operating from  camps at Ngwa High School Aba, Community High School in Ukwa-West and Goodluck Jonathan Barracks at Ohafia.

The then GOC of 82 Armoured Divison Enugu relocated to Ukwa-West and took the lead for the hunting of the kidnappers. With the needed arsenal at their disposal, the Military Task Force eventually overran the kidnappers and killed their ring leader, Osisikankwu, during a gun duel.

The demise of Osisikankwu marked the end of kidnapping in the state, but not without a price, as many believe that billions of naira spent by the state government in achieving peace would have been used for the provision of basic amenities for the people.

That might be right and logical in a way, but we all know that a secured society is a developed one and it is the constitutional responsibility of the government to secure the state at all cost. Besides, despite achieving a secured atmosphere in the state, the government has not relented in providing basic amenities for the people as being evidenced with the ongoing massive infrastructural development across the state.

This would not have happened in the past when contractors abandoned sites for the fear of being kidnapped.

So nothing was more deserving than the award of National Ambassador for Peace that was conferred on Governor Orji in Umuahia recently by the Former Minister of FCT and Chairman, National Council for Peace and Unity, Muhammed Abba Gana.

Mrs. MARTHA USEIN, a security expert, wrote from  Lagos.