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The President of Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Eze Anaba, has expressed concern over continued abduction of FirstNews, Editor, Segun Olatunji.
Speaking with The Guardian in Lagos, yesterday, Anaba said: “When I heard of the news of the abduction, it sounded strange in a democracy. We waited for information on his whereabouts, and the offence he allegedly committed, none of which we got. Several days on, nobody has heard of him or seen him.”
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Recall Olatunji, a former Kaduna State correspondent of The Punch, was recently picked up in his Iyana Odo home, in Abule Egba area of Lagos. He was said to have been whisked away by armed men.
His family has pleaded for his release, saying he is asthmatic. Similarly, members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) demanded the editor’s immediate and unconditional release.
The NUJ said: “Although it is not clear, which agency of government was responsible for the arrest of the journalist, we believe that freedom of the press and opinion remain defining elements of the rule of law and democracy. For this reason, the Nigerian government needs to work to protect freedom of the press and freedom of movement for media professionals.
The safety and security of journalists are very important.”
But to Anaba, even the soldiers that abducted him have not arraigned him in court. “Our constitution says you cannot detain somebody for 24 hours without charging him to court. What is the role of soldiers in civil relations? When did soldiers become law enforcement agents, doing the the role of police?
“Why will soldiers abduct a practicing journalist without telling us the offence he committed? As we speak, nobody knows why he was abducted. The Guild is meeting in Enugu State where we will take a formal decision on the matter.”
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