The IPC Centre for the Safety and Protection of Journalists (I-CSPJ), Lagos, has called for concerted efforts towards the immediate release of Channels TV reporter, Joshua Rogers, who was whisked away to an unknown place by gunmen around 9p.m on Thursday, April 11, 2024, close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt.
In a statement yesterday, IPC Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, appealed to other national, regional and international media freedom groups, freedom of expression organisations and human rights bodies to join in the clamour for his release and safety.
He noted: “The spate of insecurity in the country should be of serious concern to all. It is very disturbing that journalists and media practitioners have also become easy targets.
“I-CSPJ enjoins the Rivers State government and relevant security agencies to do all they can to ensure that Joshua Rogers is set free without being harmed in any way.”
The statement added: “Information reaching, I-CSPJ reveals that Joshua Rogers was driving his official Channels Television branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.”
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Sources close to Rogers said his official car, a black GAC GS4 SUV, was also taken by his abductors.
The source, who preferred anonymity, noted that the Police, DSS, Navy, Army and NSCDC have been alerted as well as the state governor.
He was said to have covered the inauguration of the health facility in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local council and was returning home before he was abducted.
“They were following him gently behind. It was not up to two seconds, as he wanted to open his gate, that they came down and told him to enter their car. He did not argue; he followed them. It was dark and our streetlight was not switched on. If not we would have closed the street gate.”
