Media bodies and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have condemned the recent unlawful arrest, detention, brutalisation and torture of the editor, FirstNews newspapers, Mr. Segun Olatunji, by military personnel in response to stories published by the media outlet.
The media groups and CSOs demanded a speedy, public, transparent and independent investigation into what it termed an act of barbarism displayed by military personnel, as well as the brazen disregard for the Constitution and the government’s obligations under relevant domestic laws and international instruments.
They made these assertions in a statement jointly signed by President, Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria/ Nigerian Press Organisations, Kabiru Yusuf; executive secretary, Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, Dr Yemisi Bamgbose; president, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba and national president, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Chris Isiguzo.
Others are the president, Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, Maureen Chigbo; president, International Press Institute, Nigeria Chapter, Musikilu Mojeed; executive director, Media Rights Agenda, Edetaen Ojo; executive director, International Press Centre, Lanre Arogundade and director, Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project, Adetokunbo Mumuni.
The organisations further demanded that all persons within and outside the military who are found to have been connected with this unacceptable violation of the rights of the journalist and the Constitution, including those who effected Mr Olatunji’s arrest, detention and torture, those who directly commanded them, and those who ordered or instigated the action, should be prosecuted before the appropriate court and punished to the full extent of the Law.
They insisted that the chief of defence intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye and the chief of defence staff, General Christopher Musa must be held accountable for their roles in Olatunji’s abduction, torture, and detention.
“Armed men wearing military uniforms and who introduced themselves as military personnel from the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), led by a military officer who also introduced himself as Colonel Lawal, invaded Mr. Olatunji’s home in a Lagos suburb on March 15, 2024, seized Olatunji’s mobile phone, handcuffed and bundled him in one of their vehicles and flew him blindfolded to Abuja where he was kept in an underground cell for 14 days.
“Stripped to his boxers, legs manacled hands in cuffs, kept incommunicado and not informed of his offence or the reason for his arrest nor of his rights as required by Law, as guaranteed under the Constitution, Olatunji was only released on March 29, 2024.
“He was repeatedly interrogated about stories published by FirstNews in the absence of a legal practitioner of his choice because he was not given the opportunity to consult a lawyer. His mobile phone was also unlawfully searched in an effort by his abductors to ascertain the sources of the stories published by the news outlet.
“Given the above, we unequivocally condemn this Gestapo-like, unlawful and unconstitutional treatment of a journalist under a constitutional democracy simply for doing his job,” the media bodies and CSOs said.
They insisted that if the federal government fails to respond positively to all their demands within 14 days from Monday, April 8, 2024, the media associations and professional bodies as well as CSOs will pursue all available mechanisms at the national, regional and international levels to ensure compliance.
They urged the federal government to conduct a speedy, public, transparent and independent investigation into the incident in order to identify all persons within and outside the military who were connected with the violation of Mr. Olatunji’s rights.
They also want the federal government to pay 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,” they added