Kidnapped Nigeria State Governor Visits New York
Will address his vision, challenges, and achievements; woo investors and condemn abuse of victims of human trafficking.

NEW York, October 15th, 2003…The Governor of Anambra State in Nigeria, Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige will pay official visit to New York starting on October 30th to November 3rd, 2003. Freedom and Justice International, Inc. in association with Africans In America, Inc. will host the Governor’s meeting with wider global community, business and political leaders, professionals and other dignitaries to promote awareness on the issues in his state followed by World Press Conference in New York City.

On April 10th 2003, Governor Ngige made history and world news as the first Nigerian elected state chief executive to resist the corrupt practices of sharing the state allocation with the Nigeria political godfathers, a practice which is the standard operating procedure in most Africa countries. This very corrupt practice has been identified as the root cause of under-developed state of African nations. Poor economy is one of the key causes of rising cases of children trafficking in Africa.

For his resistance, he was kidnapped in a terrorist style operation arranged by the brother-in-law of Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and other cronies one of who was a reported international felon wanted in US and Italy. The kidnappers physically assaulted the governor, locked him in a toilet and forced him to sign a resignation letter and video taped his forced resignation speech while gun was pointed at his head. The abductors also made a ransom demand for 3 billion Naira (over $23.6 million US dollars). The governor’s life was saved when a quick thinking local community Chief contacted the Nigerian Vice-President and the press and smuggled a cell phone to the governor while in captivity. The Nigerian press aired the governor’s brief statement identifying his location and naming his abductors.

President Obasanjo has refused to order the arrest and prosecution of his brother-in-law and other cronies who kidnapped the state chief executive calling it “a business disagreement over payment of campaign contribution towards the governor’s election”. Obasanjo top police chief who has numerous records of human rights violations such as mass assassination of peaceful protesters were also implicated in the kidnapping and assault of the governor. President Obasanjo controls the whole police force in Nigeria.

The irony was that this incident took place on the eve of the United States President George W. Bush state visit to Nigeria. Nigeria educated class had expected that President Bush being the Chief Commander in the global war against terrorism would have spoken out on the Nigeria state sponsored terrorist operation, which nearly marred his first visit to Africa.

Nigeria is oil producing nation and a major supplier to the United States. Many Nigerians express the sentiment that the United States government appears to turn blind eye to numerous complaint of human rights violations under President Obasanjo due to oil interest. However, any Nigerian leader will always guarantee the flow of all-important Nigerian oil to the west.

Speculation is rife in Nigeria that the kidnappers are still plotting to remove the elected governor.

It will be recalled that when news of terrorist attach on world trade center on September 11th 2001 broke out, the U.S. media reported jubilation in some Nigerian cities in support of the terrorists act. Governor Ngige’s Anambra State is 100% Christians and identified with the United States. The Igbo people in Nigeria like the United States have been disproportionately on the receiving end of State sponsored terrorism.

Governor Ngige will lay a wreath at the site of the former World Trade Center during the visit in New York, which is his first official visit to the U.S.

Community & Professional organizations, business & political leaders, & other dignitaries who wish to have private meeting with the Governor shall contact our office to schedule.

Long lives democracy in Nigeria. May God continue to abundantly bless America.