Mrs Abiodun Olatunji, wife of the Editor of FirstNews and former Kaduna Bureau Chief of The PUNCH, Mr Segun Olatunji, has raised the alarm, following the abduction of her husband by armed men in military uniform in Lagos on Friday
Olatunji was picked at his home in the Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos State by the armed military men without disclosing his offence.
The management of the online newspaper linked the action to a recent story published by FirstNews titled, “Revealed: “Defence Chief running office like family business – Public Interest Lawyers”, published by many other online platforms.
But the management also linked his abduction to another report titled, “EXCLUSIVE: How contractor, company stole N100bn, laundered funds for top govt officials – Investigation”, which was later pulled down.
Mrs Olatunji said the armed men, numbering about 10, arrived at their residence, a few minutes after 6pm and whisked her husband away without leaving any information behind as to where they were taking him to.
She said her husband’s abductors reached for his phone and seized it immediately they arrived before bundling him into a van like a common criminal and zoomed off.
Narrating the incident, she said efforts to know his offence or where they were taking him to were rebuffed by the stern-looking men.
She said, “Some armed men dressed in military uniform totaling 10 in number (two in uniform and the remaining 8 in mufti but all armed) arrived at our residence at Dauda Oriyomi street, Iyana Odo along Joke Ayo in Abule Egba area of Lagos State and took away my husband.
“They refused to state his offence and where they were taking him to despite all the efforts to make them do so”.
The Publisher of FirstNews, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, who also confirmed the incident, said there had been no trace of Olatunji, as his phone line has been switched off, neither has anyone reached the family or the management of FirstNews to disclose the real reason behind his abduction.
Condemning the way and manner Olatunji was whisked away, Iworiso-Markson stated that he was never invited formally to answer any issue that bordered on national security.
“The management of FirstNews is using this opportunity to call on the military high command and the security agencies to let us know his whereabouts and the reason why he was arrested.
“FirstNews (online & print) is a reputable independent digital news network that prides itself on being a frontline media outfit committed to engaging her world-class audience with factual, authentic, and credible information.
“We conduct our journalism activities with strict observance of the high standards of ethics, accountability, professionalism and legality, while exercising our rights to freedom of expression and information, all in a bid to ensure credible reporting of the news behind the news in Politics, Business, Education, Sport, Health, Entertainment and many more.
“If there was any infraction that borders on national security, Olatunji should have first been formally invited rather that this gestapo style of arrest that reminds of the dark days of the military era, where press freedom was stifled”.
