Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) who was kidnapped on August 23rd, at Ehor, near Benin City, and later released after 20 days, shared some of his experiences in the hands of his abductors. He explained that the kidnappers administered medical treatment on him on two occasions while they held him hostage. One of the treatments was for typhoid fever, after he was diagnosed with the illness in the kidnappers’ den. Ozekhome also said he was given injections during the period.
He went ahead to canvass amnesty for the kidnappers, as well as members of the Boko Haram sect.
“They (kidnappers and Boko Haram) also deserve to be negotiated with so that we can have peace in Nigeria. These angry segments of the Nigerian society should be negotiated with; it is not a sign of weakness (on the part of the government),” he said.
Ozekhome revealed that, while in the kidnappers’ den, God instructed him to establish a movement known as‘Movement Against Poverty and Kidnapping’.
Ozekhome also faulted President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to forward to the National Assembly the outcome of national conference committee for consideration. Ozekhome said sovereignty resided with the people of Nigeria and not the National Assembly.
“I want to most respectfully disagree with Mr. President that the sovereign national conferencewe should have now should not be a mere dialogue. Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution confers sovereignty on the people of Nigeria. The National Assembly cannot give us a new constitution. It is the constitution that gives us a National Assembly, it is not the National Assembly that gives us a constitution. The tail does not wag the dog, it is the dog that wags the tail,” he said.