The Nigeria Chapter of the International Press Institute Wednesday, said that the missing editor of FirstNews, Segun Olatunji, has been traced to the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency.
DIA is an agency under the command of Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, who, in turn, reports to the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa.
Olatunji, a former Kaduna State correspondent of The PUNCH, was said to have been arrested by suspected military personnel on March 15 in his Lagos home in Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos.
His family and colleagues have demanded to know his whereabouts but efforts to get him have proved abortive.
Olatunji’s wife, Oluwatosin, said her husband was asthmatic and had an ulcer, calling on the government to get him released.
A military source, who preferred anonymity, had said that Olatunji was in the DIA custody.
“Segun is not with the Army, or the Department of State Services as being speculated. He is being held in the custody of the DIA, “ the source said.
In a statement on Wednesday by its Nigeria’s President, Musikilu Mojeed,the IPI also asserted that Olatunji was in the custody of the DIA.
The institute, therefore, urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the Chief of Defence Staff to produce Olatunji.
The IPI said, “Multiple checks by IPI Nigeria reveal that Mr. Olatunji is in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency, an agency under the command of Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, who, in turn, reports to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Musa.
“For the past 11 days, the abducted journalist had been kept incommunicado, with his family, employers, and colleagues unaware of his whereabouts. That had triggered speculations among journalists and human rights activists around the world that the Nigerian military might be keeping some vital information away from the public concerning the journalist’s safety.
“IPI Nigeria is, therefore, calling on President Tinubu to direct the Nigerian military authorities to immediately release Mr. Olatunji or charge him to court if he has committed any offence. The international community should also pay attention to the unjust detention of Mr. Olatunji by the Nigerian military.
“The rule of law demands that an accused person be allowed to defend himself in a court of law within a reasonable time. This also conforms with the provisions of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which forbids the detention of any citizen or resident beyond 48 hours, except with a valid court order.”
On March 15, armed men numbering about 10 with two unmarked vans reportedly stormed Olatunji’s home in Alagbado, Lagos State. Today (Thursday) marks the 13th day of the editor’s alleged abduction.
According to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists, a non-profit organisation that promotes press freedom worldwide, the editor’s wife, identified as Abiodun Oluwakemi, said two of the men who stormed their house wore military-style uniforms and introduced themselves as officers of the Nigerian Army.
Reportedly, her several pleas to allow her husband go fell on the deaf ears of the armed men, who insisted that Olatunde must follow them.
However, the Director of Defence Information of the DefenCe Headquarters, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, said he was not aware of the editor’s arrest or any letter written to that effect.
“I am not aware of any arrest or petition,” he simply stated in a WhatsApp chat following an inquiry by our correspondent.
