Kidnapping: Senate advocates establishment of naval base in Ogun

The Senate on Wednesday urged the Nigerian Navy to establish a naval base in Makun Onu in Ogun to tackle the rising cases of kidnapping of residents in the state.
The call by the Senate followed a motion brought by Senator Olalekan Mustapha (APC Ogun) on the rising rate of kidnapping of residents of Ogun riverine areas.
Presenting the motion at plenary, Mustapha said that 11 persons had been kidnapped in the area between August 11 and October 2019.
He said that following the spate of kidnapping and other criminal activities in the area, many residents had fled the zone for fear of being kidnapped.
According to the lawmaker, the activities of kidnappers has caused untold hardship for Ogun residents.
Senator Ibikunle Amosun who seconded the motion, noted that kidnapping in Ogun East should be a concern to all and that the police should be assisted to tackle the menace.
He said that the activities of kidnappers had resulted in the relocation of some residents of the area.
Also, Senator James Manager said that the motion and prayers was not only for Ogun but for the entire country.
Manager said that the Niger Delta zone was also not free from the challenge, while calling for support for the motion.
Following the contributions, the Senate, after a unanimous affirmation of a voice vote, urged the Federal Government to direct the Inspector-General of Police to step up security in the affected communities in the state.
The Senate also urged the Federal Government to make helicopters available to help tackle the menace of kidnapping and other criminal activities.
In his remark, the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, said that he had held meetings with security agencies on how best to mitigate insecurity in the country.
Lawan said that there was the urgent need to ensure adequate security to promote and attract investment and investors in the country.
He said that there was need to evolve other means of raising funds to fight insecurity.
He added that the executive arm of government was committed to tackling the security challenge in the country.
Lawan called for the provision of drones to track down perpetrators of crimes in the country.
The Senate also considered the second reading of the Finance Bill 2019.
The bill, which was first read on October 5 at plenary, is designed to make for incremental changes to Nigeria tax and fiscal law and other related matters.
The bill sponsored by Senator Abdullahi Abubakar aims at facilitating the process of sourcing for revenue to fund the budget.
The Senate also considered for second reading a Bill for an Act to Prevent, Prohibit and Redress Sexual Harassment of Students in Tertiary Educational Institutions and for other matters connected therewith (2019).
The bill was sponsored by SenatorOvie Omo-Agege.