31st March, 2022
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Journalists in Rivers have appealed to the Police to intensify efforts to recover a Toyota bus belonging to the state’s Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) stolen by robbers about three weeks ago.
On Friday March 11, 2022 a group of armed robbers numbering four broke into the home of Mr. Amaechi Okonkwo, Chairman of Rivers NUJA Correspondents’ Chapel and robbed his family of several personal belongings including the Toyota Hummer bus with registration number NUJ 001 CC/RV.
In a press statement signed Amaechi Okonkwo, Chairman and Chidi Ohalete, Secretary of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the NUJ respectively, the body expressed surprise that nothing has been seen or heard about the bus or arrest of the robbers since the report of the theft was made to the police.
While calling on the state Commissioner of Police, Eboka Friday, to mobilise his officers and resources for an intensive search and recovery of the bus, NUJ in the press statement noted the continued absence of the bus has caused untold hardship to members of the chapel and the entire NUJ family in Rivers State.
The Chapel noted that the bus which was donated to the correspondents in the state in 2016 has always been of great assistance to journalists in their official and social engagements within and outside the state.
“This bus was donated to the Correspondents’ Chapel by the state governor, Barrister Nysom Wike some time in 2016 but unfortunately, on the early hours of March 11, 2022, armed robbers broke into the premises our chairman, Amaechi Okonkwo who had the custody of the vehicle, take away the bus along with other family belongings like cash, telephone and jewelries”, the statement said.
It added that despite all steps adopted both by the NUJ and the security agencies, the vehicle is yet to be recovered nor any of the armed robbers arrested.
Our correspondent reports that journalists practicing in Bayelsa and Rivers are worried over what seem to be selective onslaught on newsmen practicing in the two neighbouring States.
Just last Sunday, Julius Osahon, the Guardian Reporter in Bayelsa State was kidnapped along with other passengers in an 18- seater Bus at Patani in Delta State. The Commercial bus was riddled with bullets and the driver was killed.
At the time of filing this report, Osahon has not been released and his abductors had allegedly made a demand of N5 million ransom from his family.
Also, last year Segun Owolabi, the former Business Manager of Silverbird Television and Rhythm 93.7 FM and now the Chief Executive Officer of Super FM 93.3 Port Harcourt was attacked by suspected assassins as he was about driving into his residence in Port Harcourt. He merely escaped the rain of bullets by whiskers. To date,the suspected Assassins have not been arrested.