By Jimitota Onoyume
PORT HARCOURT— EMOTIONS swept through the crowd, yesterday, as Governor Chibuike Amaechi apologised to the 2009 Batch ‘C’ Corps members at their passing out parade ceremony in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the recent abduction of five of their colleagues in Omuma Local Government Area.

The Governor, who said he was deeply touched by the incident, said it was carried out by kidnappers in Abia State.  He explained that the kidnappers took advantage of the fact that Omuma is a border town between Rivers and Abia States and thus came to ply their evil trade in the council.

PARADE: Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State inspecting the parade during the passing out of Batch ‘C’ 2009 NYSC members at the Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt.

It will be recalled that five female corps members were taken hostage and later released after about two weeks in the custody of their kidnappers.

Promising that such would not repeat itself, the Governor said, security had been beefed in the state. “You know Omuma is in the boundary between Rivers and Abia State, and most of the people from that area (Abia) are business people. But, pitifully, they decided to extend their business in a bad and shameful way, by kidnapping our corps members.”

Meantime, the most outstanding corps member of the year, Mr Aborisade Adetola, has been given automatic employment in the state civil service. Governor Amaechi made the offer during his speech. The Corps member served in Etche Local Government Area.

The governor enjoined the youth corps members to exploit opportunities in the state and other part of the country just as he urged them to remain good ambassadors of their institutions at all times.
Seventeen of the Corps members were sanctioned for various offences.