Members of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ ), FCT Council, Monday, staged a peaceful protest in front of Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja over the disappearance of its member and reporter with Vangaurd newspaper, Tordue Salem, for over 12 days.
The journalists from different media organisations, dressed in black outfits, marched from the Ministry of Women Affairs to force headquarters to prevail on Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, to expedite action in ensuring safe return of Salem, who went missing on Wednesday, October 13, 2021.
The journalists, led by the Chairman, NUJ FCT Council, Emmanuel Ogbeche, matched carrying placards with inscriptions including: Enough Is Enough; FreeTorde Now; Journalists Lives Matter; Don’t Gag The Media; Journalism Is Not A Crime; and Stop Attacking Journalists among others.
Ogbeche, who read a petition by the council before formally submitting same to the police authorities, called on IGP Baba to step up intelligence and investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the journalist.
The journalists in the petition titled: Demand To Expedite Action For The Location Of Mr. Tordue Henry Salem, Journalist And Corrspondent With The Vanguard Newspapers Who Has Been Missing For 12 Days As At Monday Ocrober 25, 2021, expressed displeasure at the way and manner police have been handling the matter.
Ogbeche noted that there was need for police to give information on the whereabouts of the missing colleague since it was formally reported at National Assembly police station 48 hours after his disappearance.
He condemned the harsh environment where the safety of journalists can no longer be guaranteed despite their constitutional role and responsibility of upholding the fundamental objectives of the constitution.
The petition read in part: “It is regrettable to note that 12 days after Mr. Tordue Henry Salem DISAPPEARED, nothing much has happened to indicate whether he is alive or dead; whether he is captive of the State, a non-state or an alien.
“The IGP, it is relevant that we remind you that the State owes every Nigerian, particularly a journalist, protection and assurance of safety. Nigeria has continued to fare badly on the Press Freedom Index for six successive years and it will be most unfortunate if the DISAPPEARNCE of Mr. Tordue Henry Salem adds to the poor rating.”
The petition by the journalists further stated: “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.”
Addressing the journalists, on behalf of the IGP, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CP Frank Mba, acknowledged that the case was with the police, noting that investigation into the disappearance of the journalists was on going and there was need to maintain silence so as not to jeopardise the investigation.
He said, “The case was reported at the National Assembly Police Station on October 15, 2021… The attention of the Commissioner of Police in charge of FCT was drawn to the case as well as the attention of the Office of the IGP.
“The IGP gave a firm instruction that no human or material resources should be spared in effort at locati.g and understanding the ration behind his disappearance.”
According to Mba, “We are as concern as journalists and members of the family. We have commenced investigation and we have done everything humanly and technologically possible to ensure he is found.
“We have interrogated at least six people and we have traced the places he visited after he left National Assembly. We have spoken with the last person he had encounter with.
“We are imploring members of his family, the public and journalists that this is an active investigations. We have a choice not to speak so as not to jeopardise our investigation. This has explained our silence over the time.”
Below is the full text of the petition:
Monday, October 25, 2021
The Inspector General of Police
Louis Edet House
Force Headquarters,
Abuja, FCT.
Attn: IGP Usman Baba Alkali
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, 2021
We the executive and members of the NUJ FCT bring you fraternal greetings and commend your effort and those of your officers and men in tackling the myriad of security challenges facing our country at the moment.
We are optimistic that with adequate funding, up-to-date deployment of technology, a well-motivated personnel and proper synergy, the Nigeria Police Force under your command will be positioned to rise up the task of securing our country alongside other security agencies.
The IGP, Sir, as you are aware, a colleague of ours and a journalist of note, Mr. Tordue Henry Salem of the Vanguard Newspapers went missing on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 right in front of the Total Filing Station less than a 100 meters from the Force Headquarters.
48 hours after fellow colleagues who cover the House of Representatives realised he had DISAPPEARED, a report was immediately incidented at the House of Reps Police Division. This was followed by a petition to both your office and that of the Director General of the Department of State Security by his employers- Vanguard Media Ltd. This is outside calls by the leadership of the NUJ to senior officers of the Police.
It is regrettable to note that 12 days after Mr. Tordue Henry Salem DISAPPEARED, nothing much has happened to indicate whether he is alive or dead; whether he is captive of the State, a non-state or an alien.
The IGP, it is relevant that we remind you that the State owes every Nigerian, particularly a journalist, protection and assurance of safety. Nigeria has continued to fare badly on the Press Freedom Index for six successive years and it will be most unfortunate if the DISAPPEARNCE of Mr. Tordue Henry Salem adds to the poor rating. In 2020, a report of Reporters Without Borders shows that Nigeria went five spots down the Press Freedom Index from 115 to 120 out of 180 countries, with the telling remark that Nigeria remains “one of West Africa’s most dangerous and difficult countries for journalists.”
Also, a June 2021 report of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and Media Foundation for West Africa revealed that the media industry recorded seven unresolved killings, 300 violations, affecting about 500 journalists, media workers, and media houses in Nigeria.
What all these underscore is that the prevailing environment is unsafe, suffocating and dangerous not just for journalists and other media workers but for the sustenance of democracy itself.
It is in this wise that 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.
Thank you.
Emmanuel Ogbeche
Chairman of Council
Ochiaka Ugwu Secretary
