The Federal Government has been called upon to bring to an end the international embarrassment following the continuous disappearance of a citizen of Nigeria and editor of FirstNews, Segun Olatunji.
In particular, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, and other top security chiefs have been urged to do all within their powers to investigate the whereabouts of Olatunji and secure his immediate release.
Publisher of FirstNews, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said it is shocking and disturbing that a journalist can just be whisked away by suspected agents of government for weeks and nothing has been heard about him, putting his family and friends in pain and great distress.
He said more worrisome is the fact that security agents seem to be treating the issue with kid gloves despite repeated calls by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors, as well as other respected groups, individuals and organizations demanding for his release.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, Iworiso-Markson said “it’s shocking that a journalist can go “missing” in this country and weeks after we are still groping in the dark confused as to his whereabouts. Worst still, the security agencies are keeping mum over the issue in spite of repeated calls for their intervention.”
He went further to say that “the office of the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff, DSS and all the security agencies should save Nigeria this national and international embarrassment by letting us know the whereabouts of our editor.
“They should consider the plight of the family of the abducted journalist and do the needful. We already know that the value of a human life in Nigeria amounts to nothing. But should the government not value the country’s image and the image of the government as a whole which on a daily basis is being ridiculed globally for the many lives of its citizens that are unaccounted for due to sheer failure of governance.
“At FirstNews, we are all scared for our lives at the moment. If one of us can be whisked away in such a gestapo manner without any trace of him for days and no form of government’s intervention till date, then nobody is safe.
“This is a cry for help from the NSA and the Chief of Defense Staff, including the other security agencies. We fear for our safety. We longer feel safe in our office and homes. Management and staff of First News are all living in fear. Please save us. Until our editor is released, we will not feel safe.”
