Kidnapped Journalists 'Earnestly Seek Nigerians' Intercession'

LAGOS, July 14, (THEWILL) - Four journalists, who were kidnapped in Abia, Abia State on Sunday, today earnestly called on the people of Nigeria irrespective of their religious affiliation to intercede on their behalf.

The request was conveyed by the Vice Chairman of Lagos State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Deji Elumoye when the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Comrade Opeyemi Bamidele visited the Ladi Lawal Press Centre in Iyalla Street, Lagos.

Elumoye explained that one of the captives, Mr. Wahab Oba reportedly spoke with the union’s National President, Mr. Mohammed Garba from the claws of those holding them hostage at about 9.00 a.m. when he called on all Nigerians not to cease to pray and intercede on the behalf of all the abducted journalists.

He relayed the message that Oba told Garba "We are okay here, we have been well treated here so far. There has not been any form of harm to us but nothing is as good as having your freedom. Please pray for us."

According to Elumoye, the incident is one too many. We believe that there is no justification for anyone to resort to kidnapping as a means of livelihood.

While responding, Bamidele, who led Lagos State delegates, tasked the relevant security agencies to get to the root of the case and that the federal government should address the entire root causes of crime in the country.

The commission however expressed hope that the incident would further provide the right opportunity for Federal Government to rise to the challenges posed by the rampant cases of kidnapping in the country.

Bamidele also tasked other state governments to assist in complementing existing security networks in the country in order to curtail this kind of development.

Also today, President of the Council of Lagos State Indigenes, Mr. Sumbo Onitiri expressed shock at the spate of crime in the country while calling on the National Assembly to urgently pass the anti-terrorism bill pending before it as a way of fighting the scourge.

He said: "We also call on National Assembly to urgently pass the Anti-Terrorism Bill before it and other bills to improve the welfare of Nigerians."

A delegation of the state NUJ in company of the Chief Press Secretary to Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Toro Oladapo and a former National Association of Women Journalists (NAWAOJ) paid a solidarity visit to the families of the captives at Journalists’ Estate, Arepo, along Lagos Ibadan Expressway.