Last week, 7th June 2011 the news broke (ok well not exactly “broke” because it wasn’t all over the airwaves) that 5 Corp. members serving in Rivers State had been kidnapped. Infact, I first saw this as a friends black berry status and I asked him if it was true. My ever inquisitive and fact seeking mind immediately "googled" to get more information, only to find, as at that time, there was nothing on any news medium about it.
I immediately buzzed my friend back, relating my findings and was rather skeptical as to the truth of the story. It wasn’t until the next day, 8th June, about evening time that some news started filtering in about the kidnap, and I wondered why there seemed to be no media raze over the situation.
Let’s examine this, five young people, who in the process of serving their fatherland have been kidnapped so that they become money making ventures for the abductors. It is no longer news that kidnapping has become the latest money making business in town. Everyone is a potential victim, both the rich, poor, broke, young, old etc. I recently spoke with a barber, whose wife happens to be a hairdresser and they recounted how their four year old child was kidnapped in Obalende, and they had to pay a N50, 000 ransom. By that time the child had been taken to somewhere in Sango Otta. I was in shock when I heard the story, so much is happening that does not get into the main stream media, and while we think this happens only to those who can afford millions and billions it’s now happening to those who might not even have thousands to pay as ransom.
However the news of these 5 corpers is just scary. First the Rivers State government has said they will not pay the 20million ransom requested by the kidnappers for each corper which makes a total of 100million. The rationale behind this is that the kidnappers would then take that advantage, assuming the government will pay for every kidnapped corper and will then continue the trend. Governor Amaechi, we are not asking you to pay the ransom, as we understand the implication, all we ask is fish out the kidnappers and rescue the innocent young citizens.
It is interesting that the Federal Government, who these corpers are working for, has not said anything about the situation. The NYSC in Rivers state has not even officially released the identity of the four female corpers that were taken. Besides Olumide Yusuf who is the only kidnapped male, we don’t know who the others are. What exactly is the secrecy all about, if I had a child serving in that part of the state, who for some reason I have not been able to contact in days, it’s enough to freak me out wondering if my child is part of the kidnapped.
I would recall that last year July when the Four Journalists were kidnapped, the media was ablaze with the news until they were rescued. Why is this different, where are the newspaper headlines, Television interviews, radio comments etc???
Another issue of course if the fact that there are 4 females involved, as females anything can be done to them in the hands of the kidnappers. Olumide the only male amongst them happens to be the only son of his widowed mother, who is a 10 year retired civil servant. I cannot but wonder what she is going through right now. It is reported that Olumide and the other 4 are batch B corp members who are meant to be passing out on Thursday 16th June, which is 2 days from now. This just makes the whole situation annoying. In 2 days from now, they would have succesfully completed their service and returned home to their families to begin a new phase of their lives.
Today they are kidnap victims who cannot be found.
The situation is just pathetic and I can only empathise with the families of all those involved in this saga.May God keep the corpers and I pray for their quick and safe release. May God keep us all and cover us from evil that lurks around.
The Y-Count group is organising a rally for the release of these corpers. Check ycount@groups.facebook.com for more details.
To read Olumides Mothers interview on the situation, check http://weekly.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6269%3Amother-cries-out-ive-no-money-so-nysc-must-produce-my-only-son&catid=40%3Acover-stories&Itemid=26#.TfOHXozJPYU;facebook
Stay Safe
TyF
14/6/11
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