Citypost News Desk
A human rights activist, Comr. Osita Obi, has launched a campaign for intensified efforts toward the swift location and rescue of the co-founder and Executive Director of Dubai Estate Awka, Benjamin Izuchukwu Ezemma (Big Ben), who was last seen in Awka on November 12, 2024.
Comr. Obi made the declaration during a breakfast meeting with the media, organized in Awka on Tuesday. According to reports, Big Ben was abducted by unknown persons in November last year, and his family has neither seen nor heard from him since.
While urging well-meaning individuals, particularly the Anambra media community, to double their efforts in propagating the call for his release, the human rights activist attributed the escalating wave of insecurity across Nigeria to security lapses within federal government-controlled security agencies.
Comr. Obi specifically faulted and accused the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) of abandoning its responsibility to protect lives and property in favor of massive extortion of vulnerable citizens, who are often forced to part with their hard-earned resources on demand by armed security personnel. He urged the police to take their job more seriously to redeem their declining public image.
Obi called on the Anambra media community to bring the case of the missing 34-year-old Mr. Benjamin Ezemma to the front burner. “It is Benjamin Ezemma today; it could be anyone else tomorrow. Therefore, we must either find him or track down his abductors,” he said.
“Where are we going from here? Where is the Police? Where is the DSS? Where is the office of the National Security Adviser? We want Big Ben to be found or his abductors unmasked!” He, however, commended the Anambra State chapter of the DSS, describing them as exceptional.
Speaking further, the rights activist applauded the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for his laudable efforts in tackling insecurity, particularly through the official launch of the Agunechemba security outfit. He noted that it does not matter if the launch came late, as long as it serves its intended purpose.
Obi acknowledged that infractions may occur within the newly launched security outfit but expressed hope that, with time, it would stabilize and meet public expectations.
