The abduction of the editor of FirstNews, Segun Olatunji, is a threat to press freedom in Nigeria.
Development Diaries reports that Olatunji was whisked away by ten armed men on Friday, 15 March, and nothing has been heard of his whereabouts to date.
According to a press statement by the Assistant National Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akorede Opeyemi, eyewitness reports revealed that Olatunji was taken away in the presence of his family by ten fully armed men, two of whom were dressed in military uniform.
While the Nigerian constitution guarantees freedom of expression and of the press, in reality, journalists often face various challenges and threats in carrying out their work.
The act highlights a broader pattern of disregard for basic human rights and the rule of law, signaling a dangerous erosion of democratic principles and accountability within Nigerian society.
Journalists play a crucial role in holding governments and powerful entities accountable, and when they are targeted in this manner, it sends a chilling message to others in the media industry and civil society.
Also, the incident underscores the urgent need for Nigeria to strengthen its legal and institutional frameworks to protect human rights, ensure media freedom, and hold accountable those responsible for such egregious acts, regardless of their positions or affiliations.
Section 364 of the Criminal Code Act in Nigeria provides that any person who unlawfully imprisons any person within Nigeria in such a manner as to prevent him from applying to a court for his release or from discovering to any other person the place where he is imprisoned, or in such a manner as to prevent any person entitled to have access to him from discovering the place where he is imprisoned, is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for ten years.
While we call for the immediate release of Olatunji, we urge the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, to order an investigation into the claims that armed men in military uniform whisked the journalist away. This investigation should be carried out in collaboration with the Nigerian police.
Photo source: NUJ
