Abuja — Foremost Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday commended President Bola Tinubu and the various security agencies in the country on the successful rescue of the 20 medical students from Benue State and the eight National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members from their abductors.
Clark's commendation was contained in a statement personally signed by him and made available to THISDAY in Abuja on Monday evening.
Part of the statement read: "For a long time now, this past weekend was a weekend I was able to spend with joy and gladness in my heart, as a result of the successful rescue of the innocent 20 medical students, who were abducted along Benue State.
"They were on their way to attend a programme in Enugu State, and the eight youth corps members who were abducted a year ago.
"This feeling was even bolstered, as I watched Dr. Reuben Abati, who has just come back fresh from his vacation, excitedly analyze and commend President Tinubu and the security forces for this feat.
"I whole heartedly agree with his analysis. Kidnapping and banditry is having adverse effect on our economy and life style. It has killed agricultural activities in the country, as farmers are no longer free to go to their farms.
"Time was in this country, when trading was carried out within states along the roads.
"Now driving, for instance, from Abuja to Kaduna, even during the day, has become frightening, because one is not sure what will befall the person.
"Abduction has become the most dangerous weapon against security, economy and the social life of the people, to the extent that no one can move freely on the roads for fear of being kidnapped.
"This brings to mind what happened In Kaduna when some kidnap victims were killed, including a medical doctor, who had concluded arrangements to travel out of the country for further studies just few days before her death in the hands of these murderous fellows.
"In order to free the remaining victims abducted, Dr. Gumi and others were largely involved, meeting freely. Huge sums of monies were paid as ransom to the bandits.
"The security forces, including the military, seemed helpless. The then Governor of the State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, stated that the places where the bandits are staying is well known, that some persons even had their telephone numbers.
"This means that their hideouts are accessible. So, one wondered what was going on roads have become so dreary that traveling by air, is now the only safe mode.
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"It is not easy to come by as a result of the high cost of air tickets. These happenings have become a great source of concern to most Nigerians, even not all, except those who are benefiting and feeding from this blood money and wealth.
"One is therefore, overjoyed, seeing that these innocent ones have been rescued.
"The method of rescuing them is also quite commendable because the public was informed that ransom was used to lure the kidnappers, while at the same time the security forces deployed their technologies.
"There is no way this would have been successful without the use of technological gadgets used to track these criminals in their hideouts.
"Rescuing kidnap victims is no mean task. I have been involved in the rescue of some Philippines who were abducted in those days, in the Niger Delta."
