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Elendu's Arrest: Call For Action!
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By Oyinatumba Che
 Published
November1st, 2008
Since 18th of October 2008, Jonathan Elendu, the brain
behind www.elendureports.com has been a prisoner in SSS
detention centre Abuja . All attempts by his lawyer to
confer with him, met brick walls and contrary to the much
chanted rule of law by this administration, Elendu has been
in cell for more than 48 hours without any charge being
proffered against him. Elendu merely came home to visit his
fatherland and was kidnapped at the Abuja Airport by members
of the State Security Service (SSS)
What is Elendu’s crime?
Elendu is a United States based online journalist, who has
been reporting the ills bedeviling Nigeria , which the
administration doesn’t want Nigerians to read about. His
second sin is mistaken identity. The SSS goons after the
missing 17 days in Hajj by Mr. President, are in search of
anybody remote or imaginarily associated with Saharareportes.
It was sharareporters that broke the news about the health
condition of Mr. President two weeks before the sudden and
elongated lesser Hajj jamboree.
Why are the SSS after these online journalists? Most Nigeria
Newspapers have of late become a paid mouth piece of those
who offer them adverts. At the last count, over 80 % of the
papers circulating in Nigeria is own by an ex-governor or a
sitting one. Sun Newspaper, Spectator-Oji Uzo Kalu,
Independent Newspaper-James Ibori, The Nation Newspaper and
Life-Ahmed Tinubu, Compas Newspaper-Gbenga Daniels to
mention but a few. A good number of them e.g Thisday
Newspaper, Africa Independent Television (AIT)now give
awards to those in government instead of putting them on
their toes to deliver dividends of democracy to their
constituencies. Furthermore unlike in the early 80s when
Nigerian media was setting agenda and were investigative,
the culture of brown envelops and systematic corruption has
eaten deep into the ethics of the profession. A good number
of quality news about Nigeria is culled from either BBC, VOA
or these online blogs operated by Nigerians in Diaspora
dedicated to Nigerian affairs. Hence the Nigerian State is
happy with the sleepy media which these online journalists
want to wake up to their responsibility.
There is nothing a tyrant fears most than an educated
citizenry, for the greatest weapon of an oppressor, is the
silence of the oppressed. So chant it load, SSS RELEASE
ELENDU or charge him to court. Activate a free Elendu
campaign in your neighborhood today.
The slide of Nigeria to tyranny began with the closure of
Channels television over the rumored impending resignation
of President Yar’Adua. And the Secrete Oath administered on
the aides to Mr. President.
If you feel less concerned, cast your mind to George
Orwell’s Animal Farm. The rules were gradually changed till
Animal Farm became worst than Manor’s Farm. More also, the
Ram should not rejoice that it is headache of the Chicken as
Christmas draws near, he only escaped Sallah to be fattened
for next year’s slaughter. Today it’s Elendu tomorrow it
could be you. This attack on Nigerian returnees should be
stopped as it is affecting Nigeria ’s image and those with
something to offer in the quest of Nigeria to be among
industrialized nations by 2020 will think twice before
boarding a one way fight to Nigeria .
You see what happens in the absence of quality information?
When the cat is away, the mouse will play all manner of
mischief. The SSS still stuck on military mentality have
failed to understand that misinformation can only be
corrected by correct information and not arresting people of
shady “threat to national security” Isn’t a sick president a
threat to national security?
It is the inability of the Nigerian State to state the true
health condition of Mr. President in line with Section 144
of the 1999 Constitution that the SSS goons are arresting
every whisper as a threat to national security. The whole
world knows the true health status of mere contestants
McCain and Obama why not a sitting president Yar’Adua?
Nature abhors vacuum and where no quality replacement, the
fertile imagination of man will go on a frolic.
 Che Oyinatumba
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