Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has expressed concern over the spate of kidnapping in the South-East.

The group’s worry comes amid the escalating cases of kidnapping across the five South-East states.

In a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike urged the governors of the five states to sit up and tackle the scourge headlong.

Okwu, who said the surge in kidnapping and other criminal activities was worrisome, noted that it had become a nightmare to travel through most of the roads.

“We are concerned that people now travel through the various roads in the South-East under tension.

“No day passes by without reports of abduction of commuters in various parts of the South-East.

“This is despite the countless number of checkpoints in the South-East zone.

“It has become a nightmare to commute from one South-East state to another; just as many have also been abducted while moving within their states.

“Time has come for the governors to launch a clear collaboration aimed at taming this monster; our people have suffered enough in the hands of these hoodlums, as many don’t make it back alive owing to their inability to pay ransom.

“The governors should sit up and protect the citizens which is their primary responsibility. Enough of too many words without action,” Okwu stated.

He, however, commended the Enugu State Government over the demolition of properties being used by kidnappers, stressing that such a move would serve as a deterrent to others who may allow their property to be used for nefarious purposes.

“It is the way to go; we commend the Enugu State government for that action.

“However, there should be sustained onslaught against these criminal elements; the trust and faith of the people in government has to be restored.

“All the security agencies should be put on their toes to ensure that sanity is restored by dislodging these bandits as quickly as possible,” he further stated.