By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Disturbed by the disappearance of one of its members, Mr. Tordue Henry Salem for over two weeks now and the continued harassment and unresolved killing of journalists in Nigeria, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Usman Baba Alkali to take action.
This is even as the IGP has promised to look into the complaints brought to him by the NUJ while maintaining that the Police and journalists are partners in progress of the nation.
The IGP who spoke through the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr. Frank Mba, a Commissioner of Police (CP) on Monday at Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters in Abuja, acknowledged that the case of the missing journalist (Salem) has been reported to the Police.
He therefore told the journalists led by the leadership of NUJ FCT Chapter that Police will do everything legally possible to unearth what happened to their colleague.
Meanwhile, NUJ FCT Chapter Chairman, Emmanuel Ogbeche in a petition letter titled:
DEMAND TO EXPEDITE ACTION FOR THE LOCATING OF MR. TORDUE HENRY SALEM, JOURNALIST AND CORRESPONDENT WITH THE VANGUARD NEWSPAPERS WHO HAS BEEN MISSING FOR 12 DAYS AS AT MONDAY OCTOBER 25, 202″, reeled out the demands of the Union.
According to him: “we are here to demand that Mr. Tordue Henry Salem not only be found, but that adequate protection be offered journalists going forward. That the culture of harassment, intimidation, brutalization and disappearances ends. Our demand is reinforced by the fact that as we approach 2023, a General Elections year in Nigeria, the political and economic elites become more desperate to hang on to power and because they will not want to be held accountable to the Nigerian people, the media becomes their major target. This culture of impunity should and must be arrested by the Nigeria Police as the primary security agencies as well as other sister agencies.
“Regarding Mr. Tordue Henry Salem, we demand that the case be transferred to a Special Unit of the IGP. While we appreciate the efforts of the FCT Command, the magnitude of the disappearance demands for a highly tactical, focused and coordinated Unit under the Office of the IGP.
“We further demand confidential briefing with his family, leadership of the Union and his employers to calm frayed nerves, while we assure of our cooperation in the investigation.
“Let us reiterate that for every journalist that is harassed, assaulted, disappears and murdered, the constitutional guarantee as contained in Chapter 22 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 as Amended is threatened, democracy is weakened and good governance is impossible. The IGP it is for these reasons and more, that your office urgently needs to provide answer, which is locating and reuniting Mr. Tordue Henry Salem with his family”.
Those who attended the Peace March to Police Headquarters in Abuja on Monday include the Executive and members of the NUJ FCT Chapter joined by some Civil Society groups.
