Kidnapped Journalists: Nigeria Police Bemoan Lack Of Equipment

Though the four Nigerian journalists who were kidnapped alongside their driver had been released after a seven day rescue effort, the Nigerian Police through their spokesperson, Mr Emmauel  Chukwu has disclosed that the police force lacks sophisticated equipment to track down suspected kidnappers...He made this disclosure on Tuesday 20 July in a Radio Nigeria network programme, Police Diary.
"Investigating a case or arresting criminals is not by  magicThese days the issue of kidnapping is technological-based. They use phones. So we need to have a means of identifying where they are and getting them arrested  So we 've been calling for that. Nigeria Police hasn't got that. And we ve been asking give us equipment to enable us operate."
Asked why are these euipment used in some cases, Mr Chukwu said: "In some we have to hire this technology.We don;t have it There are groups that have these technology. But we hired our own to enable usus get this thing done. Some other groups also came to assist in this operation, and they were also using that technology."
When asked again whether the tracking device is so difficult to acquire, given the fact that issue of kidnapping has ben on for a very long time, the Nigeran Police spokesman betrayed the helplessness of the police force. "You see, it is not made in Nigeria The Police dose'nt buy all the equipment it needs. You know the level of technology we have in this country, the funding of the Police. The Police works with the equipment given to her by the Nigerian people. We are your servants and we are asking you we want to serve you in a better way than before. This is our shopping list. If I want to make a good soup for you. master, I need this, I need that to make good Okra soup for you. Give me small money and I will make small soup for you."
Mr Chukwu also denied knowledge of the complicity of the Nigerian Police inthe kidnap saga, though he agreed that there are criminals in the police.
.I have not heard of any insinuation of police complicity in this particular incident we are talking about. There are criminal elements in the Nigeria Police force. That is without doubt. People say in the Bible that out of every 12 you have a Judas. We are 370.000 strong. There is no way you will not have somebody who is a bad element. We get them and we removed them pronto! We don't waste time with bad elememt in the Nigerian Police," he said. 

Nigeria- 2011 Elections:Zoning Or No Zoning

The death of  Nigeria's former President, Umaru Musa Yar ' Adua has not only left a  gaping hole in the country's polity, it has thrown up many candidates in the 2011 presidential election. Yet of all the probable candidates, only Nigeria's former miiltary president, Gen. Ibrahim Babaginda has declared his intention to contest the forthcoming election. However his presidential ambition has not gone down well with many Nigerians, given his annulment of the 12 June 1993 presidentiual election.Another probable candidate is current Nigeria's president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan. Though he has not declared his intention to contest , many Nigerans see his body language as suggestive of such an inclination. Many Nigerians, especially those in the south of the country are already clamouring for him to contest, But the northerners are already divided over this issue. While some believe Jonathan is not supposed to contest because in accordance with the unwritten agreement in the People's Democratic Party, the Presidency has been zoned to the north, others are of the view that President Jonathan has the right to contest.. Those who are against his candidature are already threathening fire and brimstone, noticeably among these are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Gen Babangida .
Still, Should president Goodluck Jonathan contest the 2011 presidentuial electuion election or should the People's Democratic party's so called gentleman's agreement be allowed tio hold sway ? Those are questions which have very serious implications on Nigerians.While I believe that national interest is more important than partisan interest, Nigrians should be more concerned about how to make Nigerea a nation. If we are to achieve that lofty goal, sectiona interests must be thrown overboard.