Date Published: 07/15/10

Editor,

The Kidnap of the Journalists and IGP orders

It is bizarre the rate of kidnappings in Nigeria especially in southern part of the country, nay south-east and south-south. There is no day that passes without recording occasions, some politically-motivated, and most of them are not reported. Go to Akwa Ibom, Abia, etc you will hear tales.

Members of the NUJ went to Akwa Ibom for their meeting and as a norm honoured the host governor. Widely reported in the media was a statement from their host (Governor Akpabio), who while addressing the meeting angrily told them that they have quacks in their midst and should ensure that those are sanctioned. He particularly mentioned that people set up mushroom newspapers even within his State and use such to castigate the government. There was a quiet response from the NUJ executives probably because if you look at it from another angle, it is people in government that actually float newspapers that sing their praises. If there were no other independently minded voices, how could such situation promote democracy?

It happened that when the journalists were leaving Akwa Ibom on their way, they were waylaid along Ikot Ekpene-Aba road and all that happened thereafter are no more news.  What is news is that the IG of Police, Mr. Onovo, as at Wednesday 13/7/10 has given 24-hour ultimatum to the kidnappers (are they his staff?) to release the journalists in their captivity; this was after he had given ultimatum to Police commands in Akwa Ibom and Abia to fight and secure the release of the captured newsmen. One thinks that ultimatum from IG no longer holds water. It will be recalled that he gave ultimatums to the DIG Ukpoudom and Delta Commissioner of Police as well as AIG in charge of the zone to ensure that James Ibori was apprehended. Rather than getting result, Ibori with retinue of police supplied to him as bodyguards, by the same Police, escaped probably with the help of the same Police. No disciplinary action against the police? What has happened since then? Onovo could be proving to be the worst of the IGs Nigeria has had so far.

Biodun Bashiru Lati, Solomon Lar Way, Utako District, ABUJA