CNPP Asks Jonathan For National Summit On Kidnapping, Security

ABUJA, July 18, (THEWILL) - The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) today declared that Nigeria is showing symptoms of a failed state with the rising wave of insecurity that seems to have overwhelmed the security agencies and as such asked President Goodluck Jonathan to convoke a national summit immediately to discuss the frightening issues.

The demand was sequel to the news of the release of the four kidnapped journalists, where it was alleged that a N30 million ransom was paid to secure their freedom.

A statement signed by the CNPP National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu on the news of the release said; "Information reaching us alleges that N30 million naira ransom was paid for the release of the kidnapped journalists, the irreducible minimum last demanded by the kidnappers; as evidenced by the non-violence nature of the release, for no gunshot was fired, nobody was injured nor any kidnapper arrested, contrary to the claims of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The CNPP he said posits that National Summit on Security is therefore imperative; "When a cursory glance shows clearly, that Armed Robbery, Boko Haram, Kidnapping and other variants of insecurity are ravaging the nooks and crannies of the country and there seems to be no light at the end of the insecure tunnel; as the good intentions of President Goodluck Jonathan nor the empty threats of the Inspector General of the Police, talk-less of the bogus call for state of emergency by the Senate President, presents any reprieve.

"The general insecurity in the country confirms the truism that the Nigerian State has failed woefully to provide neither security nor welfare to the citizenry, adding that "over the years we have seen huge security votes squandered on the altar of corruption, seemingly good security projects poorly executed and good intentions sidetracked by ignorance," said Okechukwu.

Nonetheless, Okechukwu added that the CNPP is gladdened with the news of the release of the kidnapped journalists, "and for which we thank Almighty God and accordingly congratulate Messers Wahab Oba, Sylva Okereke, Adolphus Okonkwo, Shola Oyeyipo and Azeez Abdulrauf and the Nigerian Union of Journalists {NUJ}; for their freedom".

"We had for the past one week empathized with consternation the agony of the kidnapped journalists, their families, beloved ones and their colleagues; in the midst of gross incapacity and failure of the Nigerian State to uphold neither the security of the people nor the welfare of the citizenry as stipulated in Section 14{b} of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

"Accordingly, CNPP pledges our solidarity with the Nigerian Union of Journalists {NUJ} in these trying times and challenges President Goodluck Jonathan to convoke a National Summit on Security forthwith.

"Let us not forget in a hurry that all is concerned today, because the victims are high profile journalists; at different times many Nigerians are held hostage by felons mutating out of gross unemployment in the land", he said.