*Death of Vanguard reporter, heart rendering development –Senate President
*Sen Omo-Agege wants police to unravel killers without further delay
* Circumstances over Salem’s death suspicious – Ortom
*Family demands answers to missing links on his death
More reactions have continued to trail the recovery of the remains of the National Assembly Correspondent of Vanguard newspapers, the late Tordue Salem who was declared missing on October 13, 2021.
Theideal recalls that Salem, who was declared missing couple of weeks ago, was found dead on Thursday, 29 days after he went missing in Abuja.
But the Nigeria Police Force has disclosed that a hit-and-run driver confessed that he killed Tordue around the Mabushi area of Abuja.
Confirming the incident, the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Mba, said Salem’s body was identified at a Wuse General Hospital morgue after forensic leads were recovered from his SIM card found at the ‘Good Friends garage’ at Mpape.
Expressing shock and sadness over the news of Salem’s death, the Senate President, Dr Ahmed Lawan, said the concern of the National Assembly, when the Senate and the House of Representatives passed separate motions over the disappearance of Salem, was that he would be quickly found and reunited hale and hearty with his family and colleagues.
He then said, “It is therefore shocking to hear that the journalist had all the while been killed by a hit and run driver in an accident.
“This is a very unfortunate and heart-rending development.”
The Senate President also condoled with the family of Salem, the management of Vanguard Newspapers, the National Assembly Press Corps and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) over the sad loss.
Lawan also prayed to God to comfort all the loved ones of the departed Salem and grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
On his part, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, tasked the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation that would expose the individuals behind the killing of Salem.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr Yomi Odunuga, Senator Omo-Agege, called “for conclusive investigations that’ll unmask all those involved in Tordue’s death.”
Acknowledging that a suspect, Itoro Clement, a commercial driver who allegedly knocked down and killed the journalist has been paraded by the police, the Deputy Senate President noted that the development has raised further questions on the circumstances leading to Tordue’s demise.
Omo-Agege noted that providing the missing puzzle is the only way to bring closure on the matter, adding that anything short of the development would add to the list of unresolved murders of journalists carrying out their constitutional duties.
He said, “The news of the killing of Tordue Henry Salem came to me as a rude shock, especially as it came barely 48-hours after the Senate and House of Representatives passed separate resolutions tasking security agencies to intensify efforts to find him and reunite him with his family.
“I am particularly worried that this is happening at the heart of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Reports abound of kidnappings and other security breaches in the nation’s capital.
“While we await further briefing from the police on who deposited Tordue’s corpse in the morgue and when it was deposited, the sad development has added to the list of unresolved killings of journalists like Dele Giwa, founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine; Godwin Agbroko of ThisDay; Bagauda Kaltho of (The News); Bayo Ohu (The Guardian); Edo Sule Ugbagwu (The Nation) and Abayomi Ogundeji (ThisDay), who were all murdered in the course of discharging their constitutional duties.
“I extend my condolences to the family, friends and associates of the deceased, the government and people of Benue State, the Vanguard family, House of Representatives Press Corps, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and pray God to give them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”
Circumstances leading to Tordue Salem’s death suspicious – Ortom
Meanwhile, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has expressed shock over the circumstances leading to the death of Salem.
Governor Ortom in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, on Friday, said he was surprised at the sudden and mysterious recovery of the body of the deceased reporter.
Ortom, who expressed pain over the sudden disappearance of the former Vanguard reporter and how he was found dead by unidentified persons in an undisclosed location in Abuja, said the recovery of his remains was suspicious and deserved to be thoroughly investigated.
The Benue Governor, therefore, appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS) and other sister agencies to do everything possible to unravel the mystery surrounding the gruesome murder of the Benue-born journalist.
He reiterated that the Benue State Government is always committed to the safety of all its citizens both at home and in the diaspora and will not rest until the perpetrators of the heinous act are punished and brought to justice.
Salem’s family demand answers to missing links
In a related development, the family of the late Tordue Salem is demanding for answers on the circumstances leading to his death.
Salem’s elder sister, Mrs Elizabeth Jessica Kuraun, who is also a staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, took to her Facebook to ask who killed her brother upon hearing news of his death.
Taking to her Facebook page, she wrote, “Who is found dead? Where, when? Who killed my brother? They know that if they kill me it will be too obvious so they killed him.
“I only got to know about my brother’s killing through media reports last night.
“There was neither any formal communication from the Nigeria Police nor from Tordue’s employer that he was dead.
“I failed my brother. I failed to find you. Tordue Salem, the country you loved so much and believed in refused to investigate your missing until the enemy killed you. God will revenge you.
To his young daughter, Jessica Kuraun said: “Avaana, I am sorry I failed your father.”
She also disclosed that no member of their family was informed to come and identify his corpse.
‘’No one called us to identify his corpse before news publications even though they have our numbers.” she added.
Theideal online recalls that the late Salem, who covered the House of Representatives for the Vanguard Newspapers when he was alive, was reported missing on October 13.
After the close of work that day, he (Mr Salem) was said to have alighted from a cab at Total filling station, close to the Force Headquarters, and headed for B.J’s garden, in the company of a female relative.
Thereafter, he reportedly flagged a cab for the lady who left before him, informing her that he was going to Area 8, Garki. But he was never seen until his remains were recovered on Thursday.
The Nigeria police have effected some arrests in connection with the late Salem’s disappearance but said they were “distractions” from the real perpetrators of the crime.
