Insecurity:That Couple, That Wore the Night Gown of the Wife, the Govt Quickly Did Something-Okonkwo

Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has criticised the Nigerian government over the growing insecurity in the country, claiming that many kidnapping incidents occur without being reported to the public.

During an interview on Mic On Podcast, Okonkwo disclosed that one of his staff members spent four months and eight days in captivity in a forest in Kaduna State before local residents pooled their resources to secure the victim’s release.

He explained that the incident was never reported, stressing that numerous kidnapping cases remain hidden from public knowledge. According to him, the cases that receive widespread attention are often those capable of putting the government in an embarrassing position.

The ADC chieftain also cited the case of a couple whose abduction attracted significant public attention, noting that the government responded swiftly after the incident became widely known. He added that similar urgency is often demonstrated when members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) are kidnapped because such cases usually attract considerable public interest.

However, Okonkwo pointed out that even when the government intervenes in kidnapping cases, the families of victims may still be forced to pay ransom to secure their loved ones’ freedom.

He maintained that the government’s quick response to highly publicised abductions demonstrates that Nigeria’s security crisis could be tackled more effectively if the political leadership had the determination to act.

Okonkwo attributed the persistent insecurity to what he described as the government’s failure to adequately protect citizens, arguing that more decisive action is needed to combat kidnapping and safeguard lives.

Speaking about the widely publicised case involving a couple and their six-month-old child, he said, “Like that couple, that is wearing the night gown of the wife, and the wife and 6-month-old child. The government quickly did something. You know what that meant?”

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