Family of journalist allegedly kidnapped by military sends SOS to Tinubu, plans protests

Four days after the abduction of Mr. Segun Olatunji, a journalist and editor of FirstNews, members of his family have written a Save Our Soul (SOS) letter to President Bola Tinubu, requesting him to order the military, suspected to be behind the abduction, to immediately release him.

In the letter signed by Mr. Tosin Olatunji, elder brother of the abducted journalist, the family said since his abduction last Friday, there has been no word or official statement from his abductors.

They said short of giving up hope, and as one of the only options for them, they feel constrained to write an SOS letter to the President for his intervention.

Olatunji was reportedly abducted last Friday at his Lagos home in the presence of his wife and children, by ten armed men, two of them dressed in military uniform.

According to the family, they fear for the life of their son, disclosing that they have since reported the incident to the police, hoping that they would be given some form of closure regarding his whereabouts and his current health condition.

READ ALSO:Journalist alleges threat to life, petitions Lagos police boss

“We have decided to write an SOS letter to the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to order the military high command to immediately release our son, who we believe is in their custody. This is one of the only options we have.

“We are optimistic that the President will intervene. It is a trying moment for us all.
“Since his abduction, the only help we have received so far by way of care and show of concern has only come from First Media Network Limited, publishers of First News, who are his employers. ”

Tosin also disclosed that the family has consented to the plan by friends and close associates of the abducted journalist to stage a peaceful protest in Lagos and Abuja to draw the attention of the military and other constituted authorities to push for his immediate release.

In an interview with journalists, publisher of First News, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, also lent his voice to support the peaceful protest, noting that “at this stage we must all rally round and support every initiative that will spur the government to take action.

“As an organization, we are fully in support of whatever initiative that will get the government to act and ensure the immediate release of Segun Olatunji. We can not afford to fold our hands and do nothing. We are in a democracy and we believe this kind of lawless act by agents of the government funded by taxpayers’ money should not be allowed to stand.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now