By Felix Ifijeh, THEWILL
April 22, (THEWILL) – Media organisations, including the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), and Civil Society Partners have referred the recent detention and brutalisation of the Editor, FirstNews newspapers, Mr. Segun Olatunji, to the National Media Ombudsman, the National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC).
This followed the meeting of the NPO, BON and CSOs with the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).
Olatunji was picked up in his Lagos home in Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos, on Friday, March 15, 2024. He was released after two weeks in the custody of the DIA on Thursday, March 28.
In a joint statement by the media organisations and CSOs, the DIA said Olatunji was arrested to forestall a potential threat to national security, adding that it would have reported the Editor to the NMCC if they had been aware of its existence.
The joint statement signed on Monday, by Mal. Kabiru A. Yusuf, President, Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN)/ President, Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO); Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose, Executive Secretary, Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON); Eze Anaba, President, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE); Comrade Chris Isiguzo, National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ); Maureen Chigbo, President, Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP); Musikilu Mojeed, President, International Press Institute, Nigeria Chapter (IPI Nigeria); Edetaen Ojo, Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA); Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director, International Press Centre (IPC), and Adetokunbo Mumuni, Director, Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project (SERAP), reads: “In response to concerns expressed by the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and Civil Society Partners on the abduction of the General Editor of FirstNews newspapers, Mr. Segun Olatunji, and a demand on the government for accountability, the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) requested a meeting with the NPO, BON and the Civil Society Partners on April 14, 2024.
“The military authorities said they acted to forestall a potential threat to national security and would have reported the matter to the National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC) – The National Media Ombudsman – if they had been aware of its existence.
“After considering this disposition towards the Ombudsman, the NPO, BON and the Civil Society Partners have decided after reviewing the outcome of the April 14 meeting, to refer the matter to the Ombudsman for adjudication.
“The report of the Ombudsman process would be made public.
“We hope that the parties concerned will seize this opportunity to settle the matter in the interest of law, order and respect for the provisions of Nigeria’s constitution.
“Besides the specific issue of Olatunji, the group condemns the increasing militarisation of the civic space, which has seen increasing use of excessive force by soldiers in matters that would have ordinarily be handled by the police.”
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