Mrs Barakat Oba, wife of kidnapped Lagos NUJ Chairman, Wahab Alabi-Oba and Vice Chairman of the council Deji Elumoye during the solidarity visit to the family over the abduction in Abia State .

By Ochereome Nnanna, Kingsley Omonobi, Olasunkanmi Akoni & Jimoh Babatunde
ABUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, directed all relevant security agencies to find the where-abouts of the Chairman, Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Mr Wahaab Oba, and three other journalists who were on Sunday afternoon kidnapped in Abia State with a view to producing them alive.

And in obedience to the directive, the Inspector General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo, is to storm Abia and other South-east states, today, with a view to getting to the root of high rate of kidnapping and other crimes in that zone.

Onovo is storming the South-east even as he has directed the Police Commands of Imo and Akwa Ibom States, two adjoining states to Abia, to immediately mobilize and deploy crack teams of detectives to the state to assist in the manhunt for the criminal elements that kidnapped the journalists and secure their freedom.

Wife of Silva Okereke. Chritiana (left ) and Vice Chairman Nigerian Union of Journalist.(NUJ) Lagos council Deji Elumoye

Aside this directive, the IGP is expected to ascertain the operational readiness of the Police Commands and the logistics to be put in place in the South East to enable a hitch free conduct of the forthcoming 20 11 elections.

Confirming this development to Vanguard, yesterday, Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu said the IG also tasked the Police teams to ensure that the journalists were rescued alive.

Asked to comment on why it was so easy to kidnap the four executive members of the NUJ when the IG announced a fortnight ago that 10, 000 policemen, including anti-terrorists squads had been deployed to Abia and other South east states to tackle the problem of kidnapping and bank robberies, Ojukwu said those were the issues the IG would trash out when he got to the area.

Wife of Adolphus Okoronkwo. Anthonia (left) and Vice Chairman Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ)Lagos council Deji Elumoye during the solidarity visit

Vanguard gathered that the IG would not only meet with governors of the South East on the issue, but would also meet with community and traditional leaders over the roles they are expected to play in tackling the embarrassing crime in the zone.

A senior Police officer told Vanguard that in spite of the deployment of such large number of Policemen to quell these crimes, especially kidnapping, it had become obvious that leaders of these communities and even senior traditional rulers, were working in concert with the kidnapping gangs for financial benefits hence their refusal to assist the police with information as to whereabouts of the criminals.

“However, having noted the lackadaisical attitude of these community leaders and having been convinced that kidnapping was a communal problem in the East, the Police will soon come out with additional strategies to put the kidnappers in check.”

Meantime, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has offered to assist the union in whatever way possible to secure the release of their members still in captive in Abia State.

Gov Orji optimistic of journalists’ early release

The Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji, last night expressed his optimism that the five journalists kidnapped at a border town between his state and Akwa Ibom would soon be released. He told our reporter during a telephone conversation that since the ugly incident was reported to him yesterday he has been on it round the clock.

South East governors’ pledge

Also, the South East governors of Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Anambra states also pledged to ensure that Oba and his colleagues regained their freedom hale and hearty without further delay.

Speaking on behalf of the NUJ, the National Secretary, Mr Usman Liman who spoke through Mr Deji Elumoye, the Vice Chairman of Lagos Council, assured that they had been in touch with the kidnappers who allowed Oba and Adolphus, to speak to him. He said they insisted on the ransom being paid as demanded.

Liman who spoke on phone with Elumoye, after an emergency stakeholders’ meeting at Ladi LawaI Press Centre Iyalla, Ikeja, said that everything was being done to find an amiable settlement with the kidnappers on their release.

Also commenting on the development, Elumoye, who condemned the act in its entirety, said it was time the menace of kidnapping was brought to a halt in the country. Elumoye, however, ruled out any political undertone in the unfortunate development, saying it was only a case of insecurity in the state which must be addressed forthwith.

His words: “We believe that they ran into the hands of the abductors. We are seriously working on their release.”

Later a delegation of state executive council members along with other journalists visited the families of the captives at Journalists Estate, Arepo, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

At about 1.36 pm, the first port of call was the residence of Oba where members assured the sobbing wife, Barakat, of the safety of their bread winner who had been contacted earlier on saying they were all in good health.

Mrs. Barakat Oba who refused to make any comment on the development, asked journalists to liaise with the state secretariat for further clarification or comment.

She said: “I only pray that my husband returned safely. I thank everybody for your concern and pray for the family. We really appreciate your concern.”

Mrs Anthonia Adolphus, also could not utter a word, but managed to say the family believed that their breadwinner would come back alive, “because he does not deserve the treatment he is going through.”

Mrs Okereke, who broke into tears upon seeing newsmen, said she had handed her fate to God Almighty and was praying fervently for the safe return of their breadwinner.

She said it has been so traumatic for the whole members of the family since the news was broken and appealed to the kidnappers to have mercy on their captives who are also fighting their cause in the country.

Elumoye, urged them not to panic as everything was under control saying that all they needed to continue to offer prayer for the safe return of their loved ones. “I want to assure you that we shall all come back to celebrate their safe return with you all in Jesus name. Amen.”

The wife later spoke with the national secretary who also gave her word of assurance on behalf of the national executives.

The delegation later paid similar visit to wives of other victims, where they also offered prayers for their safe return.