It is in strong terms that we out-rightly condemn the recent reported kidnap of four Britons, amongst them was Dr. Ian Squire, the 57-year old British optician who was killed by his abductors, during his fourth visit to a rural community in Burutu LGA of Delta State, Nigeria.
There are simply no words to describe this inhuman, wicked and bastardly act against a man, who left the comfort of his home country in the UK to help the poor in Nigeria.
Aside the fact that the said kidnap incident, amongst other of such kidnap cases in this part of the country, clearly shows the level of insecurity in the country, it is really appalling that our youths/men would undertake such criminal venture against an innocent foreigner whose only offence was to offer help to their own people.
Why then would some persons in their supposed right senses engage in this criminal act of kidnap to seek for ransom over the head of another offering humanitarian needs to their own people?
These British missionaries, with other foreigners alike, are not the causes of the problems in Delta State or the Niger Delta region. They are not the ones that have stolen our collective public funds meant for the development of the State and the region.
These Britons left their families, businesses and comfort of their home country to come all the way from UK to communities in Delta State to help and offer succor to the poor locals, and do what our political leaders have not been able to do for their people.
The so-called kidnappers, should have channeled their criminal-intent and energy against the political leaders who daily misappropriate our collective public resources and impoverish the common masses.
They should have channeled their evil intentions on these Nigerian politicians who use them as political thugs to rig elections, rather than kidnap innocent missionaries that have done nothing but to help their own people.
What a deplorable way to reward a ‘lovely, quiet man who only wanted to help the Nigerian poor’!.
While we commensurate with the family and friends of the said Dr. Ian Squire, we urge that the Federal Government and relevant security Authorities at the Federal and state level, should leave no stones unturned until everyone behind this wicked act are brought to book and dealt with the full weight of the law.
This rather unfortunate and wicked incident, did not only portray a bad image about Delta State, but also that of the country’s image in the international scene.
By Zik Gbemre, JP.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes.
