Kidnapped Students Get Lawmakers’ N1m

THE Abia State House of Assembly has presented a N1m cheque to parents of 15 students of Abayi International Secondary School, Aba, who were kidnapped and rescued in 2010.

The House also gave approval to relationship between the state government and Fidelity Bank of Nigeria Plc; approved dissolution of the state’s Board of Physical Planning and Development Fund; and received from State Governor, Theodore Orji, names of serving local government transition officials for re-confirmation to enable them serve their last three-month term as provided by state law.

Asked why the state still uses a transition committee to run councils, Chairman of the House Information and Strategy Committee and Deputy Speaker, Chief Allwell Asiforo, who made the disclosures, said although the state Independent Electoral Commission has been reconstituted in preparation for formal election, the House takes note of ongoing moves to amend the constitution to invest INEC, and not the state Electoral Commission, with conduct of council elections.

Presenting a cheque to two representatives of parents of the affected students, the Speaker, Chief Ude Oko Chukwu, said the money was drawn in favour of the school and represents fees of the kidnapped students.

He explained that the 4th session of the House pledged the amount when the kidnapped students regained freedom but the pledge had remained unfulfilled till date.

Receiving the cheque, one of the parents Mr. Israel Afonne, expressed gratitude for the gesture saying: “We are greatly impressed. This is a lot of relief to us parents of the kidnapped students.”