FirstNews editor, Segun Olatunji, abducted by armed men from his home in Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos, has recounted his ordeal in military detention.
The journalist who was taken away on March 15, spent 13 days in a holding facility.
During the period, Olatunji’s family members were kept in the dark on his whereabouts or on why he was seized.
For days, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria, had clamoured for Olatunji’s release for days on end.
The Nigerian chapter of the IPI, on Wednesday, disclosed that the journalist was in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).
On Thursday, the editor was released by military authorities.
Meanwhile, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, at a press briefing at Defence Headquarters, Abuja, on Thursday, denied abduction of the journalist, saying the military was not known for abducting journalists.
“What I can tell you is that the military is not in the business of abducting journalists; it was not known for that,” Buba said while reacting to a question on the whereabouts of the detained editor.
Speaking during a press conference organised by NUJ, NGE, IPI Nigeria in Abuja, the editor said he was in his home on the evening of March 15 when the armed men arrived.
The journalist said the armed men were accompanied by his wife, who they had arrested from her shop and forced to take them to his residence.
When he asked one of the personnel the reason for the arrest, the officer did not give a definitive response but said they were from the military.
His words: “On March 15, I was at my house in Lagos, watching ‘Journalists’ Hangout’ with my seven-year-old son, when suddenly, soldiers burst into the sitting room.
“I saw my wife and one-year-old son amongst them, crying. I asked what happened, and she said they arrested her from her shop and asked her to take them to where I was.
“I asked an officer, whom I identified as Colonel Lawal if I could know why they were looking for me, and he said no, that they were from the military and they were there to arrest me.
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“Immediately, he seized my phones as he had earlier seized my wife’s phones. I said okay, let me go in and dress up since I was only in my boxer shorts; some of them (soldiers) even followed me to my room as I took my shirt and trousers.
“They handcuffed me and put me into the vehicle. At first, I thought they were taking me to the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) in Apapa (Lagos), but then we made a detour to the Air Force Base and straight to the office of the National Air Defense Corps (NADC) where we waited for about three hours. I didn’t know we were waiting for a military aircraft to come pick me up.”
According to him, when the military aircraft arrived, “They moved me into the aircraft, and we took off; when we landed, they took all my clothes. I was left with my boxer shorts. They also put leg cuffs on me in addition to the handcuffs and put me in a cell,” he said.
“At a point, one of the officers came and tightened the cuffs on my right hand and leg. I was there groaning in pain, and it was that way for three days.
“When they released it all, the right side of my body felt numb. As I’m talking to you, I can still feel the numbness in my right hand and leg.”
He was brought to the interrogation room for questioning after some days in custody.
The journalist said one of the officers accused him of being one of the persons insulting the Chief of Defence intelligence.
Olatunji said he was also accused of terrorism.
“They were asking me about certain stories that FirstNews had carried. One of them told me that I was one of those abusing the chief of defence intelligence. I said how?
“He said we did a story, and I replied that it was a general story. They didn’t say much on that.
“He also asked me about a story we carried about the chief of staff to the president, I think that was the major thing. That’s why I told some people earlier that those behind my arrest are people behind the corridors of power, who are not happy with what FirstNews is doing and are bent on taking their own pound of flesh,” he added.
He continued that before the military made a move to release him, they searched through his phone to ascertain the sources of his stories and obtained a statement from him.
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“On Tuesday, they asked me to write a statement, they went through my phone and checked my source, then they left me in the cell till last night (Wednesday) when they asked me to call someone in Abuja who can guarantee my release,” he said.
“So, I called Mr Yomi Odunuga, a good friend and brother who brought me into journalism some 27 years ago when I joined The Punch.”
He however disclosed that he no longer feels safe because the military authorities had been trailing him for two weeks before the arrest and that they know everything about him.
Secretary of NGE, Iyobosa Uwugiaren, said for days, the leaderships of the IPI, the NGE and the NUJ frantically searched for Olatunji.
He said: “We interacted with the presidency, the Nigeria Police Force (Lagos and Abuja), the Nigerian Army, the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Ministry of Interior, the Defence Headquarters, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, and the State Security Services (SSS). Other security agencies were also contacted.
“The military claimed the journalist was not in their custody. They lied to us and top government officials whose interventions we sought…
“However, on Monday, IPI Nigeria was able to determine (without doubt) that the journalist was being detained and tortured by the Defence Intelligence Agency in Abuja. The IPI then informed the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, of its finding and asked them to release our colleague immediately.
“We also provided that information to top government officials who also reached out to Generals Musa and Undiandeye. Again, they lied that the journalist was not in their custody. Yet our sources were telling us we needed to act fast to save our colleague.
“One of the core missions of the free press is to serve as a watchdog on power. The press, as we all know, is the connection between the people and the government. If the press is not allowed to carry out its social and constitutional responsibilities but instead obligated to power, it simply serves as an extension of power.
“This is not the end of this matter. The Nigerian media community shall consult further in the next few days on the actions to take against the CDS, the CDI, and the military regarding this matter.”
The post ‘My Hands, Legs Were Tightly Cuffed For Three Days’ — FirstNews Editor Narrates Ordeal In Military Detention appeared first on Information Nigeria.