The Presidency has condemned in strong
terms the kidnapping of human right
activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, and
passionately appealed to his abductors for
his release. It expressed shock over the incident. Special
Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Hon
Kingsley Kuku, who spoke on behalf of the
Presidency, yesterday, was out of the
country on official engagement when
Ozekhome was seized along the Benin– Auchi road. Kuku described the abduction
as unthinkable, barbaric and a grievous sin
against God and humanity. He noted that besides his laudable
contribution to the development of the
nation’s judiciary, Ozekhome had, through
his unrelenting advocacy for equity, justice,
fairness and good governance, remained in
the frontline of collective efforts at transforming the lives of the poor and
downtrodden. Expressing concern over the resurgence of
kidnapping in some parts of the Niger Delta,
particularly in Edo State, Kuku, who is also
chairman of the Presidential Amnesty
Programme, advised those engaged in
kidnapping and other heinous crimes as a means of livelihood to shun criminality and
take advantage of the various youth
empowerment, development and
employment initiatives under the
transformation agenda of the President
Goodluck Jonathan administration. He said that while the Federal Government
is fully committed to creating job
opportunities for youths in the Niger Delta
region and other partsof thecountry,
unemployment was no justification for
anyone to engage in brazen acts of crime and criminality, as the full weight of the law
will take its course. Meanwhile, there were indications,
yesterday, that Edo State Police
Commissioner, Mr Folunso Adebanjo, and
his counterpart in Delta State, Ikechukwu
Aduba, may have perfected plans to secure
the release of Ozekhome. Sources spoke of marathon meetings
convened by Adebanjo and Aduba on Friday
and yesterday, mapping out strategies on
how to secure the release of the kidnapping
victim and other people abducted alongside
him unhurt. The sources said the police appeared to have identified where the
victims were kept by their abductors and
were strategizing on how to deal with the
situation in order to avoid casualties. It was learnt that top police officers and
crack team of detectives were involved in
the meeting, giving signals that they may
embark on a commando mission. Efforts
made to get the Edo CP to comment on the
development proved abortive as calls to his cell phone were unanswered. Also, yesterday, the Executive Director of
Africa Network for Environment and
Economic Justice, Reverend David Ugolor,
appealed to the kidnappers to release
Ozekhome. Ugolor made the appeal while speaking
during the Human Rights Defenders
meeting.
terms the kidnapping of human right
activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, and
passionately appealed to his abductors for
his release. It expressed shock over the incident. Special
Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Hon
Kingsley Kuku, who spoke on behalf of the
Presidency, yesterday, was out of the
country on official engagement when
Ozekhome was seized along the Benin– Auchi road. Kuku described the abduction
as unthinkable, barbaric and a grievous sin
against God and humanity. He noted that besides his laudable
contribution to the development of the
nation’s judiciary, Ozekhome had, through
his unrelenting advocacy for equity, justice,
fairness and good governance, remained in
the frontline of collective efforts at transforming the lives of the poor and
downtrodden. Expressing concern over the resurgence of
kidnapping in some parts of the Niger Delta,
particularly in Edo State, Kuku, who is also
chairman of the Presidential Amnesty
Programme, advised those engaged in
kidnapping and other heinous crimes as a means of livelihood to shun criminality and
take advantage of the various youth
empowerment, development and
employment initiatives under the
transformation agenda of the President
Goodluck Jonathan administration. He said that while the Federal Government
is fully committed to creating job
opportunities for youths in the Niger Delta
region and other partsof thecountry,
unemployment was no justification for
anyone to engage in brazen acts of crime and criminality, as the full weight of the law
will take its course. Meanwhile, there were indications,
yesterday, that Edo State Police
Commissioner, Mr Folunso Adebanjo, and
his counterpart in Delta State, Ikechukwu
Aduba, may have perfected plans to secure
the release of Ozekhome. Sources spoke of marathon meetings
convened by Adebanjo and Aduba on Friday
and yesterday, mapping out strategies on
how to secure the release of the kidnapping
victim and other people abducted alongside
him unhurt. The sources said the police appeared to have identified where the
victims were kept by their abductors and
were strategizing on how to deal with the
situation in order to avoid casualties. It was learnt that top police officers and
crack team of detectives were involved in
the meeting, giving signals that they may
embark on a commando mission. Efforts
made to get the Edo CP to comment on the
development proved abortive as calls to his cell phone were unanswered. Also, yesterday, the Executive Director of
Africa Network for Environment and
Economic Justice, Reverend David Ugolor,
appealed to the kidnappers to release
Ozekhome. Ugolor made the appeal while speaking
during the Human Rights Defenders
meeting.
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