Concern for two journalists kidnapped five days ago in the Niger Delta

Reporters Without Borders today expressed deep concern about the plight of two sports journalists working for South African M-Net Supersport television who were kidnapped on 1st March and are still being held hostage.

South African producer Nick Greyling and Nigerian sports commentator Bowie Attamah were snatched close to airport in Owerri, capital of the south-eastern state of Imo, while they were heading to Lagos on a bus.

A third journalist abducted with them, Nigerian cameraman Alexander Effiong, managed to escape from his kidnappers the following day and is currently safe in Lagos.

“While hopes were high that the two journalists would be quickly released, it is worrying that they are still being held hostage. We back the efforts of the Nigerian authorities, particularly acting president, Goodluck Jonathan, and the chief of the Imo state police force in seeking to make contact with the kidnappers so that the hostages will be released as soon as possible,” the worldwide press freedom organisation said.

“Kidnapping is widespread in Nigeria, frequently directed against foreign workers with major oil companies and involving ransom demands. The always cowardly practice of kidnapping is all the more absurd when it is aimed at journalists whose financial means are very limited,” the organisation continued.

The day Effiong escaped his captors, on 2 March, managing director of M-Net Supersport in Nigeria, Felix Awogu, said of the hostages, “I am very positive about their imminent release. I am sure that very soon, they will be set free.” But two days later he told Reporters Without Borders, “I regret to tell you that the two journalists are still in the hands of their captors. I remain confident about the outcome of this case, but we will have to be patient.”

- March 5, 2010 by Reporters Without Borders

……………..

Source: www.rsf.org/Concern-for-two-journalists.html (accessed on 08.03.10)