Inspector-General of Police Mr. Ogbonna Onovo yesterday in Enugu said that his men have closed in on the kidnappers who abducted four journalists and a driver last Sunday in Abia State.

The IGP who spoke while addressing members of the Enugu police command said his men have seen the location where the journalists are kept but are cautious not to strike at the hideout because of the fear of having casualties.

He said that there have been positive developments looking for them. “So we are hoping that they will be lucky enough to rescue them today; it has been raining all day and the policemen and members of the other security agencies, are all out there in that location; that’s what we are doing and we are keeping our fingers crossed to see what will happen.
“Like I told you, the essence of the whole effort is to recover these men alive. If there has to be a shoot-out we have to be really very careful because if any one of them is killed in the shootout the essence is defeated.

On the involvement of expatriates in the search Onovo said: “People are getting it very wrong; we have members of the Interpol working with us; the Interpol assist all police forces in the world. Where you have a problem you can ask the Interpol to assist, so there is no question of Israeli out there to assist; if you see a white man there…the world has become a global village and police assist each other in terms of equipment and training.”
He blamed the Igbo’s for the current wave of kidnapping in the country and urged the police in Enugu to rededicate themselves to duty and put in their best in the battle against kidnapping.

“There was a time we had the problem of armed robbery, car snatching, burglary and stealing but today what is happening in the South East is kidnapping. The south east is the only place where I have this problem; all other parts of the country we have taken control and the policemen are doing well.
“The question we must ask ourselves is why the menace has become permanent in the zone and why we are unable to control it. All the kidnappers arrested so far in the South East are Igbos; Igbos killing themselves in Igboland. Is it a political factor, that every person must make money by all means?”

“Even kidnapping in other places have been traced to Igbo boys; in far away Malaysia a Nigerian student was kidnapped and they made call back to the Nigeria demanding money. When the Malaysians arrested the kidnappers they were Igbo boys from Nigeria here. In South Africa it is the same: so is it in our blood? “
While commending the Enugu Command the IG announced that he would withhold the promotions of policemen in some State of the South East who are not living up to expectations in fighting crime especially as it concerns kidnapping.

He vowed to ensure that the affected states which he refused to disclose do not benefit from the recent promotion of over 46,000 policemen between the ranks of Constable and Inspectors across the country.
He promised to ensure that Enugu command receive the list of those promoted immediately and urged them to work hard to improve on the performance assuring them of better encouragement from the police.
Onovo announced that all the roadblocks in the zone would soon be removed having failed to play any positive role in checking the activities of kidnappers in the South East.