Frank Nweke said on CNN: ‘ We have evidence that some of these people were paid to put up a show, they were counseled on what to do…and we thought that this ran against the grain of every practice of responsible and objective news-reporting everywhere in the world.’

Frank Nweke like every historical mouthpiece of oppression must do the bidding of a repressive establishment to survive. I have since consoled myself to the fact that every evil in this world has apologists. I ran into a small book in a library detailing the involvement of banks in financing  Apartheid South Africa against the majority black Africans who paid with their blood and time and the general lopsidedness of the system. There would always be people who profit from evil, who would do everything within their reach to stymie every breath of protest or liberty. It could also be an anticipatory desire of jumping on to the wagon of filthy gain.

The Niger Delta is too valuable a region to be rebuffed with useless words. Jeff’s exposition adds to a growing mountain of information on the Niger Delta and should be taken for its brutality.On some occasions I have been cautioned from publishing articles by advice. The quest to achieve ‘objectivity’ shouldn’t deflect pressing realities. I like writers who are too brutal to a fault, who would stick out their neck in the line of fire.

The effect of every government would always be felt by the citizenry, whether negatively or positively. After eight years of presiding over the highest increase in oil-wealth, this forty-six year old West African country has experienced -  the verdict of leadership returns abysmal failure at all levels. People should begin thinking of developing their own land and quit expecting easy oil remittances. A thorough federal arrangement of resource control should be put in place.

Asked if he would go back to the Niger Delta region by Becky Anderson, the news broadcaster, Jeff Kionange, CNN  correspondent said: ‘In a minute and I wouldn’t change a thing. The fact that we did expose those facts.The fact that we ran into these hostages, twenty-four philipino hostages that had been held for the better part of a month…I feared for those men when I saw them and all those masked men dancing around them…you just don’t know what is going to happen next. The good thing is this story ended well and they were released unharmed.’