Nigerian Supersport cameraman escapes ransom demand still awaited
Source: the rich mark sentinnel
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 [ Reads:357 / Comments:0 / 4029 ]
One of the three members of the Supersport television crew abducted in the Niger Delta on Monday has reportedly escaped his captors and fled to safety in the port of Lagos, Nigeria.
An official from the M-Net channel has confirmed that Alexander Effiong, a Nigerian cameraman, took a big risk and 'ran away from them and he is now back to us in Lagos'.
Felix Awogu, M-Net Supersport general manager in Nigeria, declined to give details of Effiong's escape but said he is optimistic that both South African television production engineer Nick Greyling and Nigerian sports commentator Bowie Attamah would also be released soon.
In confirmation thereof he said that acting president of Nigeria Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Imo state police command and other ministers are all involved in efforts to secure their release.
Awogu also confirmed that he had spoken to the two captives who were "fine" and that they are currently in discussions with the kidnappers but thus far no ransom for their release had been submitted.
The three SuperSport journalists, one South African and two Nigerians, were kidnapped by gunmen in the oil-rich Niger Delta who ambushed the bus carrying them to the airport in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, which neighbours the oil hub of Rivers State. The crew were apparently returning from covering a football match in the nearby city of Enugu, 150 kilometres (94 miles) away.
According to a report from iAfrica the "attackers ordered out more than 20 people inside the bus and took away the three and the bus." This would suggest that the three were targeted for kidnapping and ransom.
Attacks against journalists aren't uncommon in Nigeria, a country where corruption pervades government and business. A political reporter and editor for a Nigerian newspaper was killed by gunmen at his home in September and beatings happen during elections and police actions. However, an attack on sports journalists remains something unique in a country where soccer reigns supreme.
On Tuesday state police spokesman Linus Nwaiwu told AFP that police in the state said they were investigating the kidnapping.
"Investigations into the case have commenced. Our detectives are on the ground and after these investigations I believe in the next few days you will have a different story," he added.
M-Net Multichoice Africa spokeswoman Caroline Creasy in Johannesburg said that the channel had entrusted the matter to a specialist security company in Nigeria to handle while working closely with the government. SuperSport, a channel of M-Net, are the South Africa-based television sports network which distributes its programmes via satellite throughout Africa.
The Niger Delta is currently the scene of ongoing conflict which has its origins in the early 1990s over tensions between the foreign oil corporations and a number of the Niger Delta's minority ethnic groups who felt they were being exploited. Competition for oil wealth has also fueled violence between innumerable ethnic groups, causing the militarisation of nearly the entire region by ethnic militia groups as well as Nigerian military and police forces.
Kidnapping in southern Nigeria had fallen since July 2009, following a lull in the wake of a government amnesty which led to thousands of militants laying down their arms. This was however rudely interrupted in January when three British oil workers were kidnapped and later freed after their ransom was paid.
Militants fighting the government for what they claim to be a fairer share of Nigeria's oil wealth use kidnapping for ransom as a means of raising funds.
Ransom demands in Nigeria range from several hundred thousand dollars to millions depending on the wealth and status of the hostage, although kidnappers will often accept lower sums.
In 2008 armed oil rebels in the Niger Delta released unharmed two South African workers taken hostage by sea pirates. More than 500 people were kidnapped in the first six months of 2009, of whom 10 were killed, according to official statistics. Most of those kidnapped were foreign oil workers.
Nigeria is the second largest economy in Africa and it's fastest growing yet despite £60 billion in annual revenue from oil the vast majority of its people still live in poverty.
An official from the M-Net channel has confirmed that Alexander Effiong, a Nigerian cameraman, took a big risk and 'ran away from them and he is now back to us in Lagos'.
Felix Awogu, M-Net Supersport general manager in Nigeria, declined to give details of Effiong's escape but said he is optimistic that both South African television production engineer Nick Greyling and Nigerian sports commentator Bowie Attamah would also be released soon.
In confirmation thereof he said that acting president of Nigeria Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Imo state police command and other ministers are all involved in efforts to secure their release.
Awogu also confirmed that he had spoken to the two captives who were "fine" and that they are currently in discussions with the kidnappers but thus far no ransom for their release had been submitted.
The three SuperSport journalists, one South African and two Nigerians, were kidnapped by gunmen in the oil-rich Niger Delta who ambushed the bus carrying them to the airport in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, which neighbours the oil hub of Rivers State. The crew were apparently returning from covering a football match in the nearby city of Enugu, 150 kilometres (94 miles) away.
According to a report from iAfrica the "attackers ordered out more than 20 people inside the bus and took away the three and the bus." This would suggest that the three were targeted for kidnapping and ransom.
Attacks against journalists aren't uncommon in Nigeria, a country where corruption pervades government and business. A political reporter and editor for a Nigerian newspaper was killed by gunmen at his home in September and beatings happen during elections and police actions. However, an attack on sports journalists remains something unique in a country where soccer reigns supreme.
On Tuesday state police spokesman Linus Nwaiwu told AFP that police in the state said they were investigating the kidnapping.
"Investigations into the case have commenced. Our detectives are on the ground and after these investigations I believe in the next few days you will have a different story," he added.
M-Net Multichoice Africa spokeswoman Caroline Creasy in Johannesburg said that the channel had entrusted the matter to a specialist security company in Nigeria to handle while working closely with the government. SuperSport, a channel of M-Net, are the South Africa-based television sports network which distributes its programmes via satellite throughout Africa.
The Niger Delta is currently the scene of ongoing conflict which has its origins in the early 1990s over tensions between the foreign oil corporations and a number of the Niger Delta's minority ethnic groups who felt they were being exploited. Competition for oil wealth has also fueled violence between innumerable ethnic groups, causing the militarisation of nearly the entire region by ethnic militia groups as well as Nigerian military and police forces.
Kidnapping in southern Nigeria had fallen since July 2009, following a lull in the wake of a government amnesty which led to thousands of militants laying down their arms. This was however rudely interrupted in January when three British oil workers were kidnapped and later freed after their ransom was paid.
Militants fighting the government for what they claim to be a fairer share of Nigeria's oil wealth use kidnapping for ransom as a means of raising funds.
Ransom demands in Nigeria range from several hundred thousand dollars to millions depending on the wealth and status of the hostage, although kidnappers will often accept lower sums.
In 2008 armed oil rebels in the Niger Delta released unharmed two South African workers taken hostage by sea pirates. More than 500 people were kidnapped in the first six months of 2009, of whom 10 were killed, according to official statistics. Most of those kidnapped were foreign oil workers.
Nigeria is the second largest economy in Africa and it's fastest growing yet despite £60 billion in annual revenue from oil the vast majority of its people still live in poverty.
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