FirstNews writes CDS, seeks abducted editor’s whereabouts

The management of FirstNews has written the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Chris Musa, demanding to know the whereabouts of its editor, Segun Olatunji.

Olatunji, a former Kaduna State correspondent of The According, was kidnapped in his Lagos home in Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos on March 16.

He was said to have been whisked away by 10 armed men, and to date, nothing has been heard of his whereabouts.

The letter followed the continuous disappearance of Olatunji several days after he was abducted in Lagos.

In the letter titled, “Arrest and Detention of Mr Segun Olatunji, Editor FirstNews” and signed by the publisher, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the news outfit, among other things, appealed to the CDS to help them ascertain the exact location of the journalist.

“As a responsible and law-abiding media organisation, we are requesting that you help us ascertain the whereabouts of our editor, if truly he is in your custody, grant his family, doctor and lawyers access to him, make known to us his offence, if he had committed one and charge him to court if the offence is grievous, so he can have the opportunity to defend himself,” the letter read in part.

The letter also narrated how Olatunji was whisked away and the initial alarm raised about him being abducted, based on the account of his wife, who was an eyewitness of the incident.

It read, “On Friday, March 15, 2024, the wife of our editor, Segun Olatunji, contacted us over a strange development. In the account of the story narrated by her, some armed men, numbering 10, (two in military uniform), stormed their residence at No. 12, Dauda Oriyomi Street, Iyana Odo along Joke Ayo in Abule Egba area of Lagos State and whisked him away.

“Not stating the reason for their actions and where they were taking him to, it was emotionally conjectured that it was a case of abduction by the military.

“This prompted the initial alarm that Segun Olatunji had been abducted. Thus, many media outlets published the story of his abduction by the military. This was aimed at drawing the attention of security agencies and the government to act swiftly.

“However, days after the incident and with no information from those behind his abduction, we were left with no choice but to request his family to lodge a formal complaint to the police in order for them to commence a thorough investigation into the incident. We also reached out to the Nigerian Guild of Editors and the Nigeria Union of Journalists to weigh in and demand the release of our editor.

“As at the time of writing this letter, the whereabouts of Segun Olatunji is still unknown, thus putting his family in great discomfort, especially as regards his safety and health conditions as an ulcer and asthmatic patient.”

The management of FirstNews said it had been part of the healthy relationship that the present administration of President Bola Tinubu has maintained with the media since it came on board and hope that the robust relationship which extended to the military would continue.

The organisation also used the letter to commiserate with the military over the killings of its officers and soldiers in Okuama, Delta State.