*As Police rescues victims, launches counter-kidnapping operations
*Urge residents to report all suspicious activities
*Patriots lampoon media’s ethno-religious sentiments in crime reportage
By OUR REPORTER
“I mean, all along you the media people, once you heard a kidnap, you didn’t even bother to know the detail, you just went on and wrote ‘Fulani herdsmen kidnaps, kills US based Edo prince’, ‘Fulani herdsmen kidnap Ekiti oil magnate, asks for ransom’. But now that those who are the real kidnappers and killers are being arrested, see what you guys are writing: ‘Edo police arrests suspected killers of Prince Dennis Abuda.’”
Few days after suspected killers of Chief Dennis Abuda, who was kidnapped and killed by his abductors at Oluku Junction in Benin, Edo State capital, recently, were arrested and culprits found not to be the muchmouthed Fulani herdsmen blame for the crimes, operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has just arrested yet another set of six kidnappers, who are again not anywhere linkable to North or Fulani tribe of the country.
The DEFENDER reports that some members of the Southern community believed to be agents of separatism hiding under protection of ethnic interests had blamed Fulani herdsmen, whose economic activities naturally require them to be in the bushes rearing their cows, for all crimes including kidnapping and murders perpetrated in their parts of the country.
Several members of the Southern communities have however been calling such claimers to order saying crime has no tribe and religion and that the day a section of the society stop tracing the tribe and religion of criminals, the nation will come out of the woods and overcome its security challenges.
Recent records showed that criminals cut across the country as lists of arrested kidnappers, ritualists, armed robbers and other criminals included members across the tribes namely Yoruba, Igbo and Fulani.
On Saturday 6th February 2021, acting on credible intelligence, the FCT Police Command said its operatives arrested six suspected kidnappers along Apo axis.
A statement by Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT, ASP Mariam Yusuf, named the suspects as Frank Ozor 26 years old, Nweke Uche 19 years old, Chester Uzor 25 years, Chukwu Bethrand 27 years, Chukwu Samuel 25 years and Kelechi Ngene 26 years, all male.
The suspects, who had earlier abducted three persons, were arrested by eagle-eyed Police Operatives on routine patrol while attempting to relocate one of their victims.
Further investigation led to the successful rescue of two other victims, who identified the suspects.
ASP Yusuf said: “Consequently, the Command has deployed covert and overt crime-fighting strategies to strengthen security across the Federal Capital Territory especially areas with cumbersome terrain.
“In addition, the Command has launched a strategic counter-kidnapping operation to checkmate the emerging security concerns.
“Furthermore, the Command is working closely with sister security agencies, key stakeholders and community leaders to rid the FCT of criminal elements,” she said.
While urging residents to remain calm and law-abiding, the PPRO said, the Command enjoins FCT residents to report any suspicious persons or activities around their vicinity at the nearest Police Division or report the same through any of the FCT Police Command Control numbers: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, and 08028940883.
In the meantime, some Nigerians of Southern extractions have reacted to the recent developments considered by many as exposition of the real criminals threatening Nigeria’s national security and they include Kunle Durodolu, Onyeta Ejike and Abatam Nwosu.
A particular reaction by a source whose name was not mentioned said: “We thank God the real herdsmen enter hand! FCT Police Command, acting on credible intelligence, on Saturday 6th February, 2021 arrested 6 suspected kidnappers along Apo axis. The suspects are: Frank Ozor 26 yrs, Nweke Uche 19 yrs, Chester Uzor 25 yrs, Chukwu Bethrand 27 yrs, Chukwu Samuel 25 yrs and Kelechi Ngene 26 yrs.”
He however lampooned the media for what he described as their penchant for ethno-religious sentiments based reportage asking them to change as it is not the purpose of the profession.
“I mean, all along you the media people, once you heard a kidnap, you didn’t even bother to know the detail, you just went on and wrote ‘Fulani herdsmen kidnaps, kills US based Edo prince’, ‘Fulani herdsmen kidnap Ekiti oil magnate, asks for ransom’. But now that those who are the real kidnappers and killers are being arrested, see what you guys are writing: ‘Edo police arrests suspected killers of Prince Dennis Abuda’, ‘Ekiti kidnap victim, Akinbami, says if his kidnappers are not Yoruba, they will have been long in Yoruba Land’, why not being clear here, and again you guys even try to hide something about the clear tribes of these Abuja kidnappers who are Igbo,” he ventilated his anger.
Abatam Nwosu also joined in hyping the revelations of the real criminals especially when he, South East patriot became vindicated that an entire tribe of Nigeria cannot constitute itself into criminality against other tribes. He also took to his social media handle and list out the arrested suspected kidnappers, who are unfortunately from his own tribe of Igbo and not Fulani.
In his reaction, Kunle Durodolu from Ibadan, Oyo State, said: “When I call them hoodlums, you dey wonder. See their boys among arrested criminals. One look like Pogba as the other one look like Greenwood,” he mocked ethnic jingoists who would have been the loudest had any of the culprits on the list has any look or name to resemble Fulani herdsman.
An open anti-government agent, Oyenta Ejike, who has run ethno-religious hate and fake news on social media for as long as President Muhammadu Buhari’s civilian administration has lasted, came surprising clearly: “Igbo bandits arrested in abuja….Me… They should face the full wrath of law……The good people of south east don’t harbour kidnappers.”
