The above philosophical saying indeed, depicts the kind of persons selected by the Delta state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Local Government council chairmen in Delta state.
Biblically, precisely, Proverbs 29:2, the New Living Translation, (NLT) clearly states: "When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan." and it is also said "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
The above philosophical saying indeed, depicts the kind of persons selected by the Delta state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Local Government council chairmen in Delta state.
With respect to some of the council chairmen, just a few anyway, that can be said to have the fear of God in them and respect for humanity.
In recent years journalists around the world have become the targets of an alarmingly high number of targeted physical assaults and murders. The high toll of deaths and injuries among journalists is shocking and unacceptable.
They not only violate journalists' right to life and right to exercise their profession safely, but the right of society at large to be informed. For every journalist killed, our right to freedom of opinion and expression is inhibited. Each death, therefore, limits our ability to know and understand that which is important to us.
Journalists require heightened protection of their physical safety. They are a key component of society’s ability to seek the truth in an open and diverse manner. An informed and engaged public is an essential component of a democratic society.
The work of journalists is not only essential components of the fight against social ills such as corruption and maladministration, but it also serves to protect human rights such as political participation, by ensuring informed choices. Journalists often challenge orthodoxy and established power structures, and as such become targets.
In Delta state, especially the Delta central senatorial district, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), did not carry out a diligent selection of capable and responsible heads to govern the local government councils. In that Senatorial district, there are known council chairmen good at playing thuggery during elections, there was another who was a commissioner before resigning to contest the council poll, he beats up his aides and even to the point he allegedly boasted to take the life of the said aide.
Let me condemn in its entirety what I described as “unwarranted verbal attack and threat to life" on the well-known and respected Delta state-based investigative Journalist, Prince Amour Udemude, (Bolowei 1 Gburugburu) by the chairman of Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, Jaro Egbo, who branded himself as (High Voltage).
It is unheard of that a council chairman, could condescend and behave to this level and I must advise the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), to take the issue up and pursue it to a logical conclusion, especially, the threat that he will be killed.
Precisely, on Thursday, August 8, 2024, a well-known and respected Delta state investigative journalist, Prince Amour Udemude, (Bolowei 1 Gburugburu), raised the alarm that his life was allegedly threatened by a government official who happens to be the chairman of Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, Jaro Egbo, aka High Voltage.
According to the journalist, the chairman and former Special Adviser on Transport to governor Sheriff Oborevwori, vowed to take his (Amour’s) life should the journalist go ahead to report a story on hike in the charges for locked-up shops and open market shops.
Narrating his ordeal to his fellow journalists that very day of the incident, Udemude stated, "On Thursday, around 5:44pm, I put a call across to the chairman of Ughelli North Local Government Area, Jaro Egbo, to hear from him on his recent hike in locked-up shops, open market shops and certificate of local government of origin which has generated protest and agitation by residents and some traders.
‘The council chairman did not even allow me to finish my question, the next thing from him was, you are a blackmailer, don't try your blackmail on me. A journalist called and was asking me about this same story, this is blackmail.
"If you try your blackmail on me, I will make sure you don't live to tell the story. I will remove all your teeth, I will make sure I bring you down. Ask the CPS to the governor who is your boss about me. Ask him who is High Voltage, he will tell you more about me. I am going to save your contact now.
“If you like record me, I am a very dangerous man; go and ask of me. Let me read your report anywhere and I will fish you anywhere and I will make sure you leave Delta State in a terrible condition. Because, I asked the president of the market women and she said she has not spoken to any journalist about the issue.
"None of you can blackmail me and go free, you won't live to tell the story. Even, the rent for the locked-up shops and open market shops has not expired till next year March.
“Just go ahead and publish and you will see what will happen to you in Delta State. I will make sure I wipe you from this earth. Just try me."
Those of us in Delta state, we are very familiar with the antecedents of Egbo who always surrounds himself with political thugs. I have witnessed several of his barbaric and uncivilised behaviour in the public where he bullied citizens.
On Thursday, August 1st, 2024, investigative journalist, Prince Amour Udemude, and Asaba correspondents of The PUNCH Newspapers, Matthew Ochei and Monday Osayande and Lucy of Pointer newspapers were attacked by thugs suspected to have been hired by a PDP chieftain. Trouble started when suspected hired PDP thugs stormed the popular Inter-Bua roundabout in Asaba, capital of Delta State, which is the venue of the #EndBadGovernance protest, and started harassing journalists and protesters.
I have been reading stories authored by this journalist, Prince Amour Udemude, for over a decade now, when he was reporting for the defunct Niger Delta Standard Newspapers, National Mirror newspapers among others.
He investigated and exposed the uncompleted Asaba International Airport in 2011 that was being test-run, using a chartered aircraft from a barely known airline said to have been owned by a former Bauchi State landed at the airport and was received with fanfare.
Precisely, March 24, 2011, when then Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan arranged an elaborate aircraft landing ceremony to showcase the "operation" of his multi-billion naira Asaba International Airport with a full regimen of hired spectators, the investigative journalist exposed how the aircraft landed by way of mobile telephone communication between the pilot and air traffic controllers on the ground as the airport tower was yet to become operational as well as other vital infrastructures.
This same investigative journalist in 2010 and 2017 exposed the continuous corruption and rottenness in the state-owned broadcasting outfit, Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS Asaba and Warri).
So, I want to say 100% I believed all that Prince Amour has said concerning the death threats to his life and should be treated with all seriousness.
We have not forgotten in a hurry when in May, 2014, the media was awash with reports that Vanguard senior photographer, Comrade Akpokona Omafuaire, allegedly narrowly escaped death after being beating by the then transition committee chairman of the Udu local government area in Delta State, Raymond Edijala and his thugs.
The physical assault was witnessed by journalists, and the then state Commissioner for Environment, Frank Omare. Several other persons witnessed the assault that occurred during the special environmental sanitation exercise by the state special sanitation committee at Ovwian community.
It took the intervention of the environment commissioner and journalists to save the life of Omafuaire, who was allegedly mercilessly beaten with clubs and other instruments while doing his lawful job.
Violence towards journalists threatens accountable and democratic governance and the protection of human rights. States have negative obligations to refrain from any actions that might threaten or undermine the safety and physical integrity of journalists.
States also have positive obligations to protect the right to life of journalists through taking all effective measures against the killings, ill-treatment, and other interferences which are likely to threaten the safety and physical integrity of journalists undertaken by private parties.
They have an obligation not only to exercise due diligence to prevent violations, but also to ensure the accountability of the perpetrators of violations through the independent investigation and punishment of crimes and the provision of effective remedies to victims, in other words, not to allow impunity.
Journalists as a category of individuals are subjected to special risks of physical violence that amount to serious risks to their right to life. The current scale of threats to the lives and killing of journalists is a serious matter of concern.
It shows an erosion of the rule of law and democratic governance where they occur. There is a serious issue of impunity for perpetrators of these violations by the failure to investigate and prosecute crimes against journalists.
When council chairmen who are supposed to live by example begin to behave like touts and political thugs, of course, what do you expect if not barbaric and uncivilised attitude and until our political parties begin to put round pegs in round holes, the likes of Jaro Egbo will continue to occupy sensitive positions of authority and issuance of death threats on journalists will be a recurring decimal.
Akpovita Oghenekaro James, a social commentator, writes from Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.