By Austin Ogwuda
THE dramatic suspense over the whereabouts of the immediate past Commissioner for Technical Education in Delta State, Nigeria, who was also former Lawmaker both at the Delta State House of Assembly and Federal House of Representatives, representing Aniocha Oshimili federal constituency, Hon Joan Onyemaechi aka Ada Anioma since Tuesday last week; today Sunday being the 5th day, speaks volumes.
It shows the level of how the people of Delta State are being taking for a ride.
And more worrisome is the highly irritating and insensitive outburst from one of the Media Aides to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori who doubles as the Chief Executive Officer of the State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Dr (Barr) Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe.
Loquacious Latimore had on Saturday, openly faulted the alarm raised by a young lady in a trending video on social media, expressing concern about the rampant cases of kidnapping and raping within the Warri township, Osubi, Otokutu, Agbarho and Otuama communities axis of Delta State.
Ironically, in a statement issued on Saturday while dismissing the lady’s claim and calling for her arrest, Latimore chested out to say that Delta State is one of the safest States in Nigeria, due to the collaborative efforts of security agencies in combating crime, coupled with the good governance strides of governor Sheriff Oborevwori since May 29, 2023 and counting.
Whether he was ‘politically correct’, propagating propoganda or merely playing to the gallery, Latimore should have known that he was just marketing a bad product and should know too , that he is not addressing people from the moon but Deltans and residents who are not morons and guillible not to differentiate between the orange and the apple.
Bad enough!
Hear him, “Gatekeepers and cyber surveillance officers of the State Orientation and Communications Bureau, came across a trending video wherein a certain young lady who did not disclose her identity and place of residence mischievously alleged acute insecurity in some parts of Warri township, Osubi, Otokutu, Agbarho and Otuama communities in the state.
“Our cyber experts are working to unravel the source of the trending video with a view to identify the sponsors of the misleading and illmotivatwd video.
“Mere listening to the young lady, you will come to the realization that she never disclosed specific identities of victims and their family members to justify her claims. She only made a fabricated general statement in the video, and her sponsors pushed l it tongo virile on social media platforms.
“The Commissioner of Police in Delta, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda and his men, the DSS, as well as heads of other security agencies deserve commendation from all well-meaning Deltans for their positive and result oriented operational strategies in combating crime in the state.
“Governor Oborevwori”, the statement went on, “will not leave any stone unturned in his strong determination to enhance peace and security as contained in his MORE agenda under fullscale implementation.
“The governor will continue to provide logistics and other essential support to security agencies to enable them sustain and enhance effective policing, arrest and prosecute criminal elements across the state.
“The fabricated video by the young lady’s sponsors goes to no issue. The good people of Delta State are hereby advised to disregard the said video that was garnished with lies and falsehood. It is a failed attempt to misinform the general public by political detractors and mischief makers.
“The State Police Command and the DSS may invite the young lady with a view to providing useful information about the victims and their families, to enable security operatives investigate her allegations in the affected communities.
“Delta State is one of the safest state in Nigeria, as clearly indicated several security reports released by various agencies and nongovernmental organizations”, he stated.
Now, The Townhall has the following posers for Latimore and his laughable claim that Delta is the safest place in Nigeria.
Poser Number One:
Can somebody wake Latimore up from his perceived slumber to tell the world as a Media manager if this is the right time to say such, given the gloom over the kidnap of a top politician in the State with no proper update either coming from Police, the People’s Democratic Party family, the family or even the governor the man that bears the nomenclature – Chief Security Officer of the State who was even mentioned by THE WILL newspaper to have intervened over the kidnap of her former Commissioner?
Safest place in Nigeria, according to Latimore, yet she was abducted right inside the Church in a broad day light driven through traffic congested Asaba town and successfully ferried across the River Niger to unknown destination, abi ?
Poser Number Two:
Can Latimore dispute the alarm raised by
the Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOOF) condemning the alarming rate of insecurity in Delta State, especially in Delta North and Central that are presently under siege following rampant herdsmen attacks and kidnapping activities barely 48 hours before Joan Onyemaechi was seized?
The Forum had in a statement signed by its Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Enebeli and Secretary, Mr. Shedrack Onitsha called on both the Inspector General of Police, the Delta State Police Commissioner and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State to find lasting solution to the menace.
The statement reads:
“The Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) expresses grave concern over the alarming increase in kidnapping incidents and herder attacks in Delta State, particularly Delta Central and Delta North. We call upon the Nigerian Police Force and all relevant security agencies to intensify their efforts in curbing these menaces that threaten the peace and security of our communities”, the statement stated.
Can he also fault or dismiss this:
A former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly Assembly, Rt Hon Monday Igbuya, recently at a media chat said, “the worsening cases of insecurity in Sapele and its environs is becoming very worrisome and it is getting out of hand and if urgent steps are not taken to arrest the development, it will affect the social economic development of the town.
“So, I am calling on the Nigerian Police and other sister security agencies to up their games and stop this dangerous drift, because no one or nowhere is safe as it is today in Sapele (Delta Central), people are being kidnapped at will in their homes, along the streets and even public places unchallenged”, Igbuya stated.
And this:
Barely three weeks after an Open Letter was sent to the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori by a Socio-cultural group, known as the Awu Elites (AE), a body of Professionals from Abavo kingdom over incessant killings in the area, suspected armed herdsmen stormed Okpe-Abavo community in Ika South Local Government Area, Delta State, (Delta North) killing a 55-year-old farmer identified as Friday Jegbefume.
The rampaging herdsmen did not stop in killing the farmer they kidnapped his wife in the process.
The Chairman of Okpe-Abavo, Mr. Augustine Nkemachor who spoke on the issue, said, “Some unknown persons invaded his home, shot him dead, injured his son and kidnapped his wife. Up till now we have not heard from his wife.
“It has been too rough with our community. They started this (attack) about ten years ago, so many people have been killed but it has become worse since last year. For now, we are surviving by the grace of God”, Nkemachor lamented.
Time for the governor to act
Given the fact that Police and other sister agencies are usually discreet in their Investigations, nobody is asking for details or tactics adopted to possibly track down the kidnappers, but in a sane clime, Latimore should be fired by now for being insensitive as well as the brazen falsehood and unnecessary propoganda he is feeding the people.
Finally, for how long will the Police and the state actors wait to update Deltans regarding the whereabouts of a politically exposed victim of kidnap like the Tuesday kidnap of Hon Joan Onyemaechi which enters the FIFTH day today (Sunday)
When will the Governor or any of his Media handlers disclose the identity of the said government official who misled THE WILL newspaper to come up with the purported breaking news that the kidnapped Joan Onyemaechi has been brutally murdered by the abductors following the disclosure made by the ‘erring newspaper’.
Reproduced hereunder is the retraction from THE WILL newspaper
“The Delta State Police Command has refuted our earlier news report on the murder of Hon. Joan Mrakpor (Joan Mrakpor), also known as Ada-Anioma, a former member of the House of Representatives, Delta State House of Assembly, and an ex-commissioner.
“The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, told the media that the news of her murder is so far false and that her abductors had not made any contact since they forcefully took her from her church premises and killed two police aides attached to her in Asaba, the Delta State capital last Tuesday.
“THEWILL’s earlier report was published following information received from a very credible, high-ranking official in the Delta State government, who is very conversant with sensitive state matters in real-time. At the time we published our report, even the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, had also received the same intelligence and was saddened over the development on Thursday night.
“The governor, according to THEWILL checks had authorised the deployment of a team of security personnel to the bank of the River Niger in both Asaba and Onitsha to verify the development. They, however, returned without success.
“With the rebuttal from the police, THEWILL has, therefore, deleted our previous report from our news website. We apologise for the mix-up and pray that Ada Anioma is returned to her family safely”, stated THE WILL.
Over to the Governor and the Police to tell us why that “very credible, high-ranking official in the Delta State government, who is very conversant with sensitive state matters in real-time” should not be unmasked.