MEDIA and civil society organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria have given the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to probe the abduction and torture of journalist and Editor of FirstNews, Segun Olatunji.
This was contained in a joint statement by the organisations on Monday, April 8, demanding compensation for the journalist following his abduction, detention and torture, which lasted nearly two weeks.
“In accordance with Section 35(6) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Federal Government should pay Mr. Olatunji substantial compensation and issue a public apology to him for the unlawful and unconstitutional violation of his rights as well as the inhuman and degrading treatment to which he was subjected.
“The Federal Government should make an unequivocal public commitment to respect and defend the rights and freedoms of journalists and other media practitioners to carry out their professional duties in a safe and conducive environment in accordance with Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and advise all law enforcement, security, intelligence, military and other agencies accordingly,” part of the statement read.
The statement was jointly signed by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), International Press Institute, Nigeria Chapter (IPI Nigeria), Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) / President, Nigerian Press Organisations (NPO), Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, Media Rights Agenda (MRA), and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers.
Others are the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), International Press Centre (IPC) and Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project (SERAP).
The ultimatum will elapse by Monday, April 22, after which the groups have threatened to utilise every available option to ensure the demands are met.
Olatunji was abducted from his home in Lagos by armed men in military uniform on Friday, March 15, and his whereabouts were kept secret for over a week.
His detention was linked to a report “Revealed: Defence Chief running office like family business – Public Interest Lawyers,” which was published by his organisation.
On Wednesday, March 27, IPI Nigeria, in a statement, called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the military hierarchy to immediately release the journalist or charge him to court if he was being accused of any offence.
Olatunji was released the following morning by officials of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), who handed him over to members of the media community by the roadside in Abuja, after which journalists called for the punishment of those involved in his abduction.
The ICIR reported that Olatunji expressed fear for his life while addressing his colleagues.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.