Anxiety has
continued to mount over the safety 14 journalists from Warri, Delta State, who
were on Sunday abducted and held hostage by suspected followers of former Ijaw
militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
The
journalists who include the Regional Editor (South-South) of LEADERSHIP
Newspaper, Mr Sola Adabayo, were later freed by their abductors from Oporoza,
Tompolo’s hometown. But Chief Ekpemupolo has denied knowledge of the abduction
allegation.
The the
journalists, from various media houses, were returning from a community rally
and press briefing held by Itsekiri people of Ogidigben in Warri South-West
council area of Delta State when they were captured.
LEADERSHIP
recalls that the 14 journalists, alongside six members of the Ogidigben
community, were returning to Warri from Ogidigben when they were accosted by a
horde of fierce-looking persons suspected to be militants around Oporoza
community and were later diverted off their normal route into a compound in the
community.
It was learnt
from reliable security sources that attempts to rescue the abducted persons
earlier in the day were blocked by the abductors, and that it took a higher
security reinforcement before their captors yielded ground.
One of the
security sources told the freed media men: “We have it on good authority that
those who abducted you are very displeased that we rescued you unhurt from
them, so it is our duty to see you safely to your door and be sure you are
secure indeed.”
Apart from
Adabayo, other journalists include the Regional Editor, South-South, of the
Nation newspaper Shola O’Neil, and his Warri correspondent Bolaji Ogundele.
Others taken along with them were the Regional Editor of the Vanguard newspaper
Emma Amaize, Warri Correspondent of the National Daily newspaper Emma Arubi.
Also abducted
were Awoso Harry of Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS), Warri, Olu Philis and
Paulinus Odedeyi – both of Channels Television, Osarose Sadoh and Alex Omoniyi
both of AIT, and Anthony Ebule, Celestine Ukah, Josephine Ughweri and Victoria
Nwaeze – all of Fresh Angle newspaper, a Warri-based local tabloid.
It would be
recalled, however, that a similar event involving an open demonstration and an
eventual press briefing was held at the same Oporoza, attended by many of the
journalists who were abducted on Sunday.
The
journalists were taken at about 1pm, some distance away from the Oporoza Jetty,
and taken to a base where they were held hostage and tormented till they were
handed over to a joint team of navy and army personnel at about 7pm.
Speaking to
LEADERSHIP from the Naval base in Warri after their rescue, some of the
journalists thanked God for facilitating their escape as the militants had
threatened to kill them all.
One of the
journalists, Celestine Ukah, said the abductors had come in about six boats.
“When they
closed in on us from different directions, shouting menacingly on the boat
rider to pull over, some of us were terrified, especially the female colleagues
among us. They started using all sorts of things to hit those they could touch.
Some people had already sustained injuries at that point; in fact some were
bleeding.
“After this
time – they had already demobilised the boat that was carrying us – they
transferred us into one of their boats and took us by a small waterway to a
huge compound, which I later gathered belongs to Tompolo.
“They started
profiling us by writing our names. They asked all of us to submit everything on
us – our bags, cameras, phones and everything on us, save for our identity
cards. Later one of them raised the alarm that he had found a loaded pistol and
extra rounds of bullets.
“Moments
later, they received a call and demanded that all Itsekiri people among us join
the people on the floor and when nobody was coming out, they called out Emma
Arubi, who is an Itsekiri man, to join the people on the floor. They descended
on him brutally, accusing him of having written ‘nonsense’ against their leader
(Tompolo).
“Close to two
hours after they started drilling us, some of them ran up from the river,
holding a gun, covered in a wet coverall and alleged that it was found on the
boat we were in.
“At this
point the boys went into serious frenzy and in that mood they descended more
heavily on those on the floor and threatened us that they were going to kill us
as we were coming to kill them before they rounded us up.”
He said they
were later handed over to the joint security personnel from the army and the
navy.
Arubi also
recounted how his tormentors attempted to frame him up as a gunrunner, forced
him to hold up the rifle, took photographs of him with it and speedily sent out
the pictures on social media, especially Facebook, tagging him a criminal and a
gunrunner.
At the time
of filing this report, all the 14 journalists were still being held at the
naval base in Warri, where authorities said they were waiting for signals for
their release from Abuja.
Meanwhile,
Tompolo has denied knowledge of the allegation that his men abducted some
journalists.
Mr Paul
Bebenimibo, who spoke on his behalf, berated the journalists for distorting
facts.
“Tompolo has
no business with them. This is pure blackmail and this is unacceptable to us.
Issues of security are for the military to handle. People should be more
courageous to face the fact
“We learnt
they were with the navy. If the navy is holding them, it is not our business to
make comments because once guns or arms are involved, a thorough investigation
is needed because the recent killings among Itsekiri youth leaders is something
that requires a critical look,” he said.
Source:Leadership Newspaper