SATURDAY SUN
Agusut 18, 2012
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938 kidnapped in South East~ N1.2b ransom paid In 5 years fTvm DOM EKPUNOO,
Onitsho
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olal of 938 prominent dl l:uns of South Ea.n
g~politlca l zone WUl! kidn lll ppt'd b dw~ n 2008 a nd August tb ls yu r. The Ca mpai gn ro r Democracy,' human ri ghls orga nisa ti on. 'bleb db d nud this in • statement al Onitsha .uid th at alla ul NI .2billion "" as paid ., ran som b}' th e kld nappffi penons. . lbc CD statement, which was signed by its South cast zonal chairman, Dede Uzor A. Ul.or ant.I the secretary. Dr. Jrny Chuk""'UOkolo, said thai the kidnapped victims pIIid
between NSm and NJOm each. According 10 CD, Amunbra Stale h:ls the highest incidc:nce of 273 persons especially within the commercial axis ofOnitsha and Nncwi. It stated that lmo Stale with current up-stugt oflcidnapping incidence, bas recorded 265 cases; while its ra;Idents arc living in heightened fear. The breakdown as staled, "'also sho .....ed thai Abia follows behind, ~ith 21S vlctims so far. a lthough lhc incidences of kidnapping had continued to reduce for some monlhs now after the dealh of. notorious kidnapper called Osisikankwu.. "Enugu, which recorded 9S cases of the incidence in the past fh'e yean, ho ....-eVCf. recorded the highest in abduction
of government officials and international pcr5OWlC:1. ~Ebonyi is the least. and quite of a ll the fi\'e states \",!hlll the Sooth-East; il recorded 90 cases 50 far officially, However. apart from kidnapping: the stale is bden with rornmU1\21crisis. The s ta temen t maintained thatlhere was need for South Easlgovemor.Jl to take decisi\'C actions 10 checkmate the spate of kidnapping withi n the zone. The CD suggested demolition of established structures built or used by the kidnnppcrs to adv3nee their open1tions as pan of the solution to tlte problem, The organisation gave the South-East Governors Forwn till end of October 20 12 to IIddress tile up-swge and fCStore the coofidcnce of foreign investors to the zone,
Ogun constructs ultra-modem mechanic village n ultn-motl enl l uto mÂŤ hanlc \11bge h!l!li bftu construt ted by Ogun SUlli e go"e mm enl I' Ob:ld:ll-Oko 'n E.....ekltrn I...ocal QWUlImC'nt Art:li o( thesla te.
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The facility thai woukl provide necessary infmslJ\lcll,.lfC and aUtance auto meclwtical works and olher allied prof~ sicn will also have modem mechanical labontories. health futi lities. pipe borne waler and good rood ocl....ut... ConvnisslOl1Cr for llousing. Mr, Darnel Adcjobi. while inspecting the level of progress of woO: lit the Slle s ud lhe \illage ""ill be C'Onun issionc:d next month. pointing OUI thaI the presenl admioMlion in the stale is determined 10 bener the lot of artis3n5 and ledmicinns tluough the: pro\1sion of basi<: infrntrutture and amenities,
Oyo distributes N4.4m agric inputs to fanners
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c Oyo Sta te gO\'ulllllenl has distributed agri cultu ra l inpulS comprisIng. ri ce seeds, agroch emica ls and liq uid rcrtilizen worth over N4.4 mUlion 10 rice farm l'. l'5
in $I'. \'eo loclli governmcni areas of th e sta te_ Speaking at the occasion held at the OYSADEP Fanners' Multipurpose Hall. Dyo. the state Conunissioner for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rur;ll De\'~lopmenL r-.1r. Oimbo Kolade. said that I total of I7S rice fannas in SC\'rn Fadama III particip.11ing local govcrrunents had been pro\'I(\ed ....ith rice seeds. a~ chemicals and fertdizm to boost ria productlOO in the state.. The c:ommissioner listed the bencfittng local go\'C:mmenlS as Oyo West.. Atisbo. Saki West, Surulc:re, ldo, Akio)'Clc and OgoOluwa,