Keep in mind that this is CNN reporting about themselves. But I saw an interview with the Nigerian minister.
He claims to have evidence that a CNN corespondent has approached several shady characters in the Nigerian Delta, to pose as kidnappers cruising around the Delta like pirates.
Allegedly the corespondent was rejected several times, before finding some kidnappers who were happy to take his money and cruise around the Delta with weapons and hoods, trying to make it look like a war zone.
The kidnappers and the hostages might be real, the Nigerian minister says, but there is no war going on and the area is quite under control. And giving money to criminals, trying to make a selling news item is of course very bad.
Roffenon February 14 2007 14:11:38
Giving money to criminals is bad ? That should be on CNN
Of course, journalists (and people in general) are always trying to get a name for themselves, even risking everything. If what the Nigerian government says is true, this man career is in ruins, and will be lucky, if he's not prosecuted by the law.
