The Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, says kidnapping is a capital offence in the state.

Ikpeazu stated this in Umuahia on Thursday while launching the Abia State Security Fund/Deployment of the Security Support and Resident Card, warning that “anybody who practices kidnapping in Abia shall die.”

He said the initiative of the programme was to monitor and identify residents, even in the bush, especially as the state is bordered by seven states.

Ikpeazu stressed the need for synergy among the South-East governments with a view to nipping in the bud cross-border crimes, adding, “The Abia State Residents’ Card’s will help to identify genuine residents.

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Also speaking, the Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuany, represented by Mr Mathew Oboechi, stressed the need for synergy among the governors and security agencies in the South-East, as well as information sharing among the conventional security agencies and others who are being instituted to help the region.

In his speech, the Chairman on the occasion and Senator representing Abia Central at the National Assembly, Chief Theodore Orji, said there was the need for all to support the governor of Abia State morally and financially in achieving adequate security in the state.

The Coordinator of the Abia State Security Fund, Mr Darlington Anyanwu, said the initiative was created to source funds and equipment from stakeholders to support and complement the state government’s efforts in providing adequate security to Abia residents.