More than 48 hours after four journalists and their driver were kidnapped in Abia State, the police said on Monday that their whereabouts were still unknown.


The journalists are the Chairman, Lagos State council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Mr. Wahab Oba; Secretary, Mr. Sylvester Okereke; Zonal Secretary of the NUJ, Zone G, Mr. Adolphus Okonkwo; and a member of the council, Mr. Sola Oyeyipo.


They were seized with the driver, Mr. Azeez Abdulrauf, by gunmen at Umuafor Ukwu, Obingwa Local Government Area on Sunday while returning from a three-day National Executive Council meeting of the NUJ in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.


The abducters had said they would not release their captives until a N250m ransom was paid to them.


Some NUC officials from the Ogun State chapter, who were in the attacked convoy managed to escape being abducted.


The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Jonathan Johnson, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, said that a special anti-kidnapping squad detailed to rescue the abducted men was yet to record any break through.


He spoke shortly after the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, directed crack teams from Imo and Akwa Ibom state Police commands to assist a special unit in Abia State to free the abducted journalists and the driver.


Johnson, however, said that the team from his command was working hard to locate the hide-out of the kidnappers.


He had earlier pleaded for a little time for the team to free the abducted men and apprehend the hoodlums.


“We are still working. We cannot comment now on the incident in order not to jeopardise our search for the journalists and other investigations relating to the incident. Just give us a little time,” Johnson said.


Earlier on Monday, Onovo said that the Police were deeply concerned about the abduction which drew condemnations from the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, and state governors.


The IG , through the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, told the News Agency of Nigeria that he had directed that the journalists and their driver be rescued unhurt and their abductors “fished out and brought to justice”.


Assuring that the Police were “making significant progress to rescue the victims and restore their freedom,” he reiterated the directive of the police to the public not to pay ransom for the release of their kidnapped relations.


When contacted on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, Mr. Walter Rugbere, said the issue of arresting and freeing the abducted journalists and the driver were primarily that of the Abia State command.


“You know the case is not within my jurisdiction, I am only helping the Abia state police command by sending my anti-kidnapping squad and special anti robbery squad to the state,” he told one of our correspondents.


“It is only the Abia state police commissioner that can talk on the latest development and not me.” Rugbere added.


Officials of the Ogun State Council of the NUJ that escaped abduction said they were saved by God.


Speaking with journalists in Abeokuta on Monday, the Secretary of the council, said, “The kidnappers jumped down from their vehicle and shot the rear tyre of the Delta State NUJ vehicle in which we were travelling.


“Despite the fact that our tyre was deflated , we managed to escape from the scene and went to a nearby village from where an old man assisted us by conveying us with his vehicle to the police station.


“Because of the psychological trauma, we could did not inform him of our plight.”


He urged the government to take urgent steps to rescue their “unlucky colleagues.”


But reacting to the development on Monday, Mark, Bankole and three governors challenged the police to rescue the abducted men and arrest the kidnappers.


Mark asked security agencies in the country to rise up to the challenge of curbing the spate of kidnapping across the country.


He said, “No responsible government would allow these to continue. We must all rise to the occasion and curb the menace. Our security operatives must stand up and be counted as responsible and responsive agencies of government.


“Enough of this embarrassment; we cannot continue to allow this to happen. Criminality of any form is condemnable. It cannot be our way of life.”


Calling on the kidnappers to release their hostages unconditionally, he advised communities and traditional rulers to join in the fight against kidnapping.


“As it is now, everybody is a potential victim. The earlier we tackle the matter head-on and put it to an end, the better for all of us,” the President of the Senate added.


On his part, Bankole called on other security agencies to join forces with the Police to “smoke out the criminals” who abducted the NUJ officials.


Bankole, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Mr. Ebomhiana Musa, urged “all well meaning Nigerians to rise in unison and condemn the dastardly act.”


He assured Nigerians, especially journalists “that their abducted colleagues would soon breath the air of freedom, given the fact that all relevant government agencies have mobilised towards rescuing them.”


The Speaker expressed concern that kidnapping had assumed a frightening dimension, describing it as a ”national embarrassment”.


The governors, who described the incident as unfortunate and barbaric , were Theodore Orji (Abia); Ikedi Ohakim (Imo), and Segun Oni (Ekiti).


Orji, whose state has become a kidnappers’ haven, wondered why journalists had become the target of abductors.


He spoke through his Adviser on Electronic Media, Ugochukwu Emezue.


The governor described Nigerian journalists as “vibrant and committed professionals” who had “contributed to nation building at the risk of their lives.”


“Nigerian journalists deserve commendation and not humiliation and attack.” Orji said and assured that the security agencies in the state were working round the clock to effect the release the kidnapped media men.


He also assured the people of the state of adequate security as two more Amoured Personnel Carriers had been procured by the state to fight crime.


He commended the efforts of the military and police men deployed to the state by the Federal Government in reducing the incidence of kidnapping in the state. Described the kidnap of the journalists as “a dastardly act”, saying the “perpetrators must be fished out by security agencies.


On his part, Ohakim described the abduction of the journalists as a “dastardly act,” saying the perpetrators must be fished out.


He assured that the governors in the South-East would continue to fight kidnapping in the zone.


Meanwhile, the Federal Government has also expressed confidence in the capacity of the Police and other security agencies to free the abducted journalists .


The Minister of Information and Communications, Prof, Dora Akunyili, said in a statement in Abuja on Monday, that the government received the news with sadness.


She said, “Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, recently directed the police and all security agencies to rid the nation, especially the South- East of kidnapping. Government finds this ugly development quite disturbing, sad and clearly unacceptable.”

SOURCE: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201007132121873

Ok

Lawlessness of the mighty has given birth to a commensurate lawlessness of the low. If we must restore peace and sanity in this country, our leaders must be made to face the law if found culpable.

In a land where most  citizens live below poverty line, one of our leaders said he built TOILETS (place wey person de piss and poo  ) with N10m each and nothing happens to him. Another one bought cars, torchlights and TV at hyper-inflated prices and he is shielded from the law, in fact, he used his position and the law at his disposal to shut out those who cried foul at his corruption and everybody is watching. What about the corruption in NFF which led to the woefull performance of the Super Eagles in SA 2010 WC? Thinking about the way the mighty squander resources in a land of abject poverty, where the minimum wage of a civil servant is less than N15,00 a month combined with mass unemployment of youths, could and is already triggering rebellion in the suffering masses.

In addition, our lawyers and judges are not helping matter. The looters have penetrated and bought  over the judiciary thereby  making figting corruption an uphill task. Judiciary is making the EFCC a toothless bulldog.  Our lawyers must act professionally to term the tide of corruption in this country.

Our so-call leaders must wake up and put on the mantle of leadership and not [b]looter[/b]ship. The patience of the masses is running out. What is happening now is a tip of the ice-berg.

We need leaders , not looters.

i dont know why instead of holding their governor responsible,abians keep blaiming orji kalu for everything.in rivers state people were blaming odili but with amaechis good work,i can clearly see the obvious fact that theodore orji is a square peg in a round hole.as at 2007 there were more kidnappings in rivers than abia,but today crime rate in rivers is one of the lowest in nigeria.

Ok

Ok

boyz keep kidnapping that is what politician want. if e go they possible kidnap governors join. this pic is at the back of my house and we are jobless, boyz create jobs for yourself

Posted by: JUO
Insert Quote
boyz keep kidnapping that is what politician want. if e go they possible kidnap governors join. this pic is at the back of my house and we are jobless, boyz create jobs for yourself

We do not have a police force in Nigeria anymore.
What we have now are dummies and zombies in uniform with guns.

If I tell you what is going on in Nigeria, more millions will even flee to other countries.

The police cannot provide security anywhere in Nigeria and not even inside their own barracks.

A gang of unidentified gun men drove some police officers away after a gun battle at a check point in front of a bank on a popular street in Lagos and for over 30 minutes they took over the street until they left witjhout any challenge from the nearby police station and guess what the check point is no longer there.

Nigeria is looking like a banana republic or rogue nation.

Pity pity pathetic Nigerians.

The situation in our country is fast deteriorating 

boyz keep kidnapping that is what politician want. if e go they possible kidnap governors join. this pic is at the back of my house and we are jobless, boyz create jobs for yourself

So in your words kidnapping Journalists is a kind of job, na wah and I am here in Europe trying to bring my kids up based on Nigerian values, these stories and people like you are making me think twice of making my children even come close to the country.
What a pity

The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Jonathan Johnson, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, said that a special anti-kidnapping squad detailed to rescue the abducted men was yet to record any break through.


He spoke shortly after the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, directed crack teams from Imo and Akwa Ibom state Police commands to assist a special unit in Abia State to free the abducted journalists and the driver.


Johnson, however, said that the team from his command was working hard to locate the hide-out of the kidnappers

LOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLL

LLWWWKMMMMDDDD


imagine the clowns, cant  guarantee security in their own barracks


if these "crack" team (LOOOOLLLL)  were there in the first place, why havent they bin able to capture the kidnappers before now

why havent they been deployed lonG ago in other kidnapping cases



CLOWNS






MSCHEWWWWWW

the crack teams are busy setting up your money or your life checkpoints

FGN, should give IGP, Director of SSS 24hrs to rescue these people or loose their job. I'm sure we would see the latest miracle.

Let our Nigerian police, crack team n so on do sometihing about this issue, and let us believe in result not plenty talks, we should be against this kidnapping of a thing, let's help ourselves out of this whole rubbish.

nija and there whala-

were we supposed to be surprised before?

come to think of it, how are we sure these ppl dnt have an important secret, and one up class senator or something hired gunmen to abduct them, but please, some hungry men needs 250m give it to them, some ppl have houses that are more than that, what diff does it make, lets help ourselves, life is short but important.

When do the so called Nigerian Police ever have a clue!! That is simply too much to ask of them.

what are police good for other than investigating the number of n20 in your wallet

Kidnapping is now a national phenomenon

nigerian police na waoh,
no clue on eng. folorunsho,
no clue on dipo dina,
no clue on bola ige,shall i continue?
but you get lead on obj, ibb,kalu orji, alams,etc
you guys are clueless.
to top it jonathan dey give onovo national dishonour
only in nija.

No Clue: Make dem go ask Paul de Octopus!

^^lol

^^lol