Last days were very intense and tough for the former head of Sierra Leone’s army. Maj-Gen Williams is current Sierra Leone's Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria. He was captured on 1st of July reportedly in the northern Kaduna state . It is believed that he was travelling for a ceremony at a military base. It is clear that seizure of Sierra Leonean diplomat was really embarrassing for the Nigerian government. It is understood that quick and effective reaction of Nigerian special forces was essentially needed. Fortunately, Nigerian police spokesman Don Awunah has recently announced that Maj-Gen Williams has already been rescued and « he is in sound health ». Despite this fact, circumstances of discussed accident remain unclear. Police still don't reveal where he was seized or if he was travelling in convoy. Officials affirm that no ransom money was paid to the abductors and success is a result of « quiet diplomacy ». Unconfirmed reports in Nigeria claimed that at the very beginning $40m was demand for the diplomat's freeing.
It is assumed that Maj-Gen Williams is the first Sierra Leone official who has been abducted anywhere in the world since the country reclaimed independence in 1961. The habit of kidnapping for ransom is progressively common in certain parts of Nigeria. It was reported last week that 2 Indian workers were seized on their way to work in central Benue state. Probably the most tragic example of recent kidnappers’ activity was an abduction of 276 schoolgirls. Boko Haram terrorists took children from their classroom in the northeastern town of Chibok. Most of them have remained missing for about 2 years. The former government created by ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, was strongly and widely criticised for its ineffective and slow response to the attack.
The unstable situation in Nigeria and increasing number of different kind of attacks (especially kidnapping) remain unsolved and complicated problems. Officials seem to be helpless and also they show huge inability in effective control of safety in the country.
Read more (BBC) >>
Read more (BBC) >>
Read more (Al Jazeera) >>
Read more (Al Jazeera) >>
Read more (Al Jazeera) >>
Read more (Africa News) >>
Read more (Africa Review) >>