JOURNALISTS’ KIDNAP: JONATHAN SAYS ONE KIDNAPPER ARRESTED

Dear Editor,

JOURNALISTS’ KIDNAP: JONATHAN SAYS ONE KIDNAPPER ARRESTED

Reading the Saturday Tribune July 17, 2010, online, was a story where President Jonathan came hard on the perpetrators of the kidnapping business. This was at a dinner party organized for him by Akwa Ibom government on Thursday (July 15, 2010) in Uyo.

There he confirmed that one of the kidnappers of Wahab Oba’s group was apprehended the previous day. It was surprising reading such as having been said by the President and none of the newspapers reported the matter since the Wednesday. This cannot be believed because IGP Ogbonna Onovo has been busy begging his kinsmen not to remove him from his job. The President, who regretted the involvement of some traditional rulers in kidnapping business, said that some senior people, who he said are being tracked, are also involved.

The only advice to the President on the issue of kidnapping is that he should be sincere about his comments and beliefs and therefore should avoid sentiments or wrong security information or stray statements that could keep the masses guessing as they may continue to see him as lucky but unserious leader. He is intelligent enough to understand that some security agents, in order to save their jobs, do frame people who were not involved in crimes while leaving the main culprits, ignorantly or otherwise, walk freely; and this is surging in periods of desperation as this.

While all manner of persons and groups (highly and lowly placed), far and near, were sympathising with the situation of the journalists, it is surprising that Governor of Akwa Ibom State who hosted the journalists kidnapped on their way home, has shown no appreciable sympathy. In the media so far, he has not been reported as doing so; he and his media tigers simply blacked out. It is either that they are callous or inept or are happy or some other reasons. This posture is condemnable and connotes any imagination. In all known tradition, the security of your visitor should remain upmost in your mind till he gets back home and confirms so.

Dr. Soriwei P. Igoni, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State.