President of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Youthwing, Comrade Efemena Umukoro, has declared a 7-day fasting and prayer programme in the face of the rising kidnap cases in Urhobo land.
It will be recalled that the youth president of Ohoro community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, Ambassador Alex Egedegbe Orukevwe aka (Saboga), was kidnapped on Tuesday night along Ughelli-Patani road. This followed the attempted kidnap of the immediate past Executive Director, Projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Engr. Dr. Samuel Adjogbe and a former lawmaker in Delta State, Hon Samuel Marierie.
In a press statement made available to journalists, the Urhobo youth leader said that the need for prayers has become necessary with the issues of insecurity and disunity militating against the speedy growth of Urhobo nation.
He added: “All is not well in Urhobo nation and I think it is time we turned to God for help.
“This is not the time for us to be concerned about our party affiliations. It is time to pray against the continued kidnap of our sons and daughters and pray for the restoration of peace and unity to Urhobo nation.”
According to him, the fast will commence on Friday, June 26 and run till July 2, 2020.
He said: “I urge every Urhobo son and daughter to fast wherever they are between the hours of 6a.m. to 6p.m. during the first six days, then on the last day we will all be at Omega Baptist Church, Abraka to end the programme. We want everyone irrespective of their field in Urhobo land to be involved. It is not only for the clergies or politicians, but for everyone.”
Speaking further, he urged the Delta State Government to mount pressure on the State House of Assembly to provide the legal framework for the ‘Delta Hawk’ initiative to start.
“Marierie and Adjogbe were able to resist their kidnap because their security details were able to repel the attack of the kidnappers. I don’t have security around me, neither does Orukevwe that was kidnapped.
“We are hoping that he is released unhurt.
We have combed the bushy area around the scene of the crime to enable us locate the kidnappers yet to no avail.
“It is obvious that in the face of all these security challenges, we need to focus on community policing to curb crime because our security architecture run by the police especially has been overstretched” he said.
Meanwhile, he also appealed to the Delta State Governor, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa to give the State Community Policing Advisory Committee (SCPAC) and State Community Policing Committee (SCPC) the needed push to begin their activities.
According to him, inaugurating the bodies is not enough, the SCPC which he belongs to ought to be meeting at least once every month except there is an issue of emergency and meetings can be called for.
“Imagine if we were very functional, as the representative of the youth in the SCPC, I would have been able to call for a state youth meeting where we can brainstorm on how to put an end to our security challenges.
“The youths are the ones committing the crime and the earlier we come up with ways to get the youths on our side, the better for us all,” he said.
