Stakeholders fine-tune strategies to fight child kidnapping

From Peter Adi Fonte in Kumbo

Security stakeholders in Kumbo have brainstormed on better measures to circumvent the frequent cases of child kidnapping in the locality.

The recent meeting which grouped together heads of security forces, traditional rulers, political leaders, religious authorities and some parents of kidnapped victims was summoned by the divisional officer for Kumbo central sub-division, Nkamto Ndifon Francis.

After brainstorming on the security concerns, the conclave adopted various resolutions aimed at forestalling future kidnap of more children.

Among the resolves was the need for children to be warned against receiving gifts from unknown persons as well as free rides in unidentifiable private cars, taxis and motor cycles.

Parents were also told to desist from allowing young ones to stay out after 7pm, except when in the company of elderly persons.

In addition, another resolution insists that parents should endeavour to take their children to and from school at stipulated times.

The conclave called on children to move in a group while on foot and for pupils and students to shun drinking spots.

Traditional rulers, for their part, were requested to put in place vigilante groups and to register such groups with the local administration. They were further requested to sort out abandoned buildings and areas which harbour criminals and report to the forces of law and order once identified.

While forces of law and order confirmed their willingness to embark on patrols during the day and at the night, landlords were urged to identify various tenants in their houses by occupations.

Shortly before the close of the meeting, the divisional officer for Kumbo central sub-division, Nkamto Ndifon Francis expressed gratitude to all the participants for the positive contributions made and called on the population to collaborate with the forces of law and order so as to stamp out child kidnapping.

Mean time, Maurice Viban whose child was kidnapped in the field of Government School Bamkika’ai narrated the sad incident. He said his child was kidnapped by three persons and the kidnappers got in contact with him through a phone call, asking for a ransom of 5MFCFA.

Maurice Viban noted that in panic, he abandoned the gendarmes who had opted to accompany him get the kidnapped child.

He negotiated with the kidnappers through phone contact and paid a sum of 300000 FCFA to the kidnappers in a spot they had directed him to put the money before his son was released.