Kidnappers promised us a share if ransom is paid – Oba
From CHUKS ONUOHA, Umuahia
Monday, July 19, 2010


•L-R: NUJ National President, Mallam Mohammed Garba, Assistant Secretary, Sylva Okereke, Chairman, Lagos State Council, Alhaji Wahab Alabi Oba, National Secretary, Adolphus Okonkwo and others during their arrival at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja after their release by the kidnappers in Abia.
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Two out of the four abducted journalists yesterday narrated their ordeal to Daily Sun at the Police headquarters, Umuahia yesterday.
According to Wahab Oba, the experience was harrowing.
“They took us and started maneuvering here and there until we got to a place and they stopped.

Then, they asked us, ‘what do you have there, what do you have there?’ They collected our phones, money, laptops and all the cash we had on us and shared them there and then. They said that we did not have on us anything that would make them release us. They then searched us thoroughly because they knew that they were going to kidnap us. They then told us that we had been kidnapped, that we better call somebody to come and bail us.

“They then asked us to call our Oga and after speaking with the president, they collected the phone from me and told him, look, your boys have been kidnapped. You have to bring N250 million. They were smoking Indian hemp consistently. They were telling us to call somebody about money, money, money and I asked them, which money?

“They later agreed on N30 million. But I told them that we are also freedom fighters and gave them instances of how we have been writing for the freedom of Uwazuruike and that if they wanted, I would call Uwazuruike for them to confirm. “When they released us they said that they didn’t kidnap us because of money but because of the injustice going on in the state.

They were particular about Abia, saying that that government collected money saying that they were doing amnesty, while the amnesty was fake. When they were releasing us this morning, they said that they were giving government one month and after that, they will come out and start shooting people. “They said that we are lucky that we’re not from Abia, that if we had come from Abia, they would have killed us, that when they catch anybody from Abia, they would shoot the person immediately.

“They told us when you get there, tell the world that it is not all about money. It is about the proper administration of amnesty, true justice. Before they released us, they uncovered their faces for us to see and then passed their message. Please tell the world that we need employment. If I collect N15,000 every month, I will not be carrying gun.

“The place they stopped us was not far from police checkpoint and at first, we thought it was an accident, because they just crossed the road with their vehicle. There was this Delta State car leading us and that one escaped. My driver was about escaping and they told us that they would have shot him dead. And with what we saw them do in that forest, we would have been dead by now. They said that they got the information before we got there and that they were already waiting for us.

And that it was our car they were waiting for.
“After they kidnapped us they drove us inside the bush, got to a place and parked for about 15 minutes, ransacked everybody, collected every thing that we had shared it among themselves there. Then two or three boys came and from there, we did not know anything that happened because they blindfolded us. The guys were careful because every move that the police made they were already aware.

“They were always on the phone and I even asked somebody, how do you charge your batteries but he didn’t answer me. They kept calling, calling, calling, every minute those that give them information. We can’t say exactly how many they were because they were so many but few will be with you, at least minimum of three at a particular time. One will lead while two will be at the back, they will just be leading us to wherever they wanted us to go.
“They didn’t treat us badly. They fed us once a day. They didn’t beat us. After the first three days, anytime we were in a place for an hour, they will chain us. Otherwise, there was no beating.

“Immediately they kidnapped us, we told them that we were journalists coming from Uyo, so they knew that we were journalists and that we fight for the freedom of every Nigerian, that we had organized rally for Uwazuruike in Lagos, that we brought his wife to Lagos while he was still in detention and asked that government should release him. I told them that all of us are fully involved in the fight for freedom. I told them to give me my phone so that I could call Uwazuruike. I asked why should you be holding me? They said that we should not worry that it is money that they want, money from government, not even our own money because I told them to allow us call our families so that we can contribute money for them and they said no, ‘government money, wey dem no give us na him we want collect from dem.’

“They said that we should not worry, that we would be released. Even at a point they told us that if the money comes that they would give us our own.”

the best way to solve this issue is through negotiations,enlightenment and prosecution of targeted die-hards.using full force might lead to a serious crisis in nigeria.the politicians have failed the younger generation and made them easy targets as touts,criminals,political thugs and possibly future suicidists.God help Nigeria.

Don't glorify these evil brigands.
The best way to foil these kidnap cases is to arrest and prosecute their traditional ruler sponsors and execute all arrested kidnappers publicly.

Mr Fire:

Please tell the world that we need employment. If I collect N15,000 every month, I will not be carrying gun.

Which hard working Igbo man cannot make many times that amount doing basic commerce? Abeg let these thieves let us hear word jo. I blame the Government. If you execute the arrested kidnappers in public via firing squad, it would serve as a serious deterrent for these social leeches.