- Madu Onuora Picked In The Presence of His Wife, Children, Like Segun Olatunji
- NUJ, NGE, IPI, Other Media Bodies Wade In, As Abducted Journalist's Whereabout Remain Unknown
By Chinwendu Agoha (Media & Governance Reporter)
Barely two months after the unfortunate abduction of the former editor of First News newspaper, Mr Segun Olatunji, the Nigerian media, once again, came under attack on Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024, as the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of the Global Upfront Online Newspaper, Mr. Madu Onuorah, was allegedly whisked away by men of the Nigerian Police Force at about 6pm.
A public statement by the management of the Global Upfront Newspaper this Thursday morning, said that about ten fully-armed policemen stormed the residence of Mr Madu Onuora in Lugbe area of Abuja, in two Sienna buses.
He was arrested in the presence of his wife and children who fruitlessly demanded from the police why they were arresting the head of their family. The police allegedly seized Mr. Onuorah’s phones, thereby cutting him off completely from communication with people, including his family members.
He was not even allowed to contact his lawyer or any of his relations before he was allegedly whisked away to the Lugbe police station by the stern looking police operatives.
To ensure that Mr. Onuorah did not get attention or bail, the policemen who arrested him, though not of the Lugbe Police Station, simply dumped him at the Station and left no traces for friends and family members to reach them.
The Management of Global Upfront Newspapers however states as follows:
That the Police should release Mr. Madu Onuorah immediately and unconditionally.
That Mr. Onuorah is an experienced Journalist, former Abuja Bureau Chief of The Guardian Newspaper, former Managing-Director of The AUTHORITY Newspaper, who operates within the ambit of the law.
That anybody who has any issue against Mr. Onuorah should approach the law court and not turn the Nigerian Police into a Gestapo outfit that bullies a man in the presence of his wife and children.
That any second Mr. Onuorah spends in police custody constitutes a serious infringement against his fundamental rights and a continuation of the assault on freedom of expression that has become frequent occurrence in Nigeria recently.
Meanwhile, media bodies in Nigeria like the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria, have been immediately contacted and they are said to have waded in to locate the actual whereabout of Mr Madu Onuora, who, a media source hinted, was taken to yet unknown location in Ebonyi state, South East, Nigeria.
Although this information is yet to be confirmed by NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER Correspondent in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital, who, as at the time of filing this report is still combing some police and security formations in Ebonyi state to fish out where Mr Onuora is being held and under what circumstance, including his actual offence or offences.
The curious abduction of the Publisher of Global Upfront Online Newspaper, Mr Madu Onuora, is viewed in the Nigeria's media industry as another case of strong arm tactice being deployed by officials and state agents under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to muzzle the press and erode the constitutional rights of the Nigerian people to have access to information on how they're being governed.
In a similar abduction operation in March this year, Mr Segun Olatunji, editor of the First News Newspaper who recently resigned his job in apparent protest over alleged unprofessional manner in which his former employer handled the issues associated with his arrest, was taken away by a contingent of armed soldiers from his Abule Odo, Lagos residence in the presence of his wife and children. He was clandestinely held by the military in Abuja for several weeks until pressure from the media compelled the army authorities concerned to set Mr Olatunji free.
Since the news of Mr Madu Onuorah's abduction filtered through the media newsrooms, his colleagues are asking questions about what Crimes he may have committed to warrant his unprovoked abduction; where he is being kept and who actually ordered his arrest in such a stone age manner?
Journalists who are currently enraged over what is becoming an orchestrated assault and intimidation of media practictioners in Nigeria under a democratic government led by a renowned pro-democracy activist, President Bola Tinubu, are demanding for the immediate release of Mr Madu Onuora and an unconditional apology by the police high command for the abduction of the journalist.
The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Abuja Council Chapter in a statement this Thursday afternoon,. called for the immediate release of Mr Madu Onuorah, the Editor-In-Chief of Global Upfront Online Newspaper.
The union in a joint statement by it's chapter Chairman, Comrade Òsárétín Òsádébàmwén and Council Secretary, Comrade Ochiaka Ugwu, expressed great apprehension over the spate of harassment of journalists in the guise of making arrest by the Nigerian police.
The NUJ Abuja Council stated that "While we are not averse to the right of citizens seeking redress over legitimate infringement on their right, we believe that constitutional means should be strictly adhered to in doing this.
"A comdemnable case in point is the commando like raiding of the home of Mr. Madu Onuorah, Editor-in-Chief of the Globalupfront Newspaper (Online).
"The manner of arrest leaves much to be desired from a legitimate force of the State, the Nigeria Police which should have been civil instead of intimidating and forcefully whisking away Mr. Onuorah in a manner akin to kidnapping.
"We condemn this total abuse of power laced with intimidation and demand the immediate release of Mr. Madu Onuorah, Editor of the Conclave newspaper, an online platform
"The former Bureau Chief of the Guardian Newspaper, and Managing Director of the Authority Newspaper is a thoroughbred professional.
"On this. we insist that where any citizen or organisation believe he has a case to answer, then the constitutional path should be activated and followed.
"Let it be known that NUJ will never stop holding the government and its institutions accountable for the people", the union re-affirmed.
However, human rights activists and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have equally called for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Madu Onuora.
One of the NGOs, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the Police Abduction of the Journalist and outrightly criticized what the group described as President Tinubu's inaction.
The NGO in a press statement, expressed deep concern over what it described as "blatant violation of human rights and freedom of the press" and called for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Onuorah. It also condemned the police's actions as reminiscent of a Gestapo-like regime, rather than a democratic society.
“This alleged incident is part of a disturbing pattern of police brutality and suppression of free speech that has been on the rise in Nigeria.”
HURIWA criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu "for his failure to address these serious issues and uphold the rule of law, stressing that the administration’s silence on such matters raises serious questions about its commitment to democratic principles and human rights".
The group highlighted the President’s failure to appoint a governing board for the Police Service Commission (PSC) for over six months, which it said, has left the commission without a quorum and a legally constituted board, rendering it ineffective.
“According to Section 29(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the PSC should consist of no less than seven and no more than nine members. However, the current composition falls short, with many positions vacant or occupied by individuals whose terms have expired.
"The PSC’s Establishment Act stipulates that the commission should include a Chairman, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court or Court of Appeal, a retired Police Officer not below the rank of Commissioner of Police, and representatives from various interest groups. Currently, the only valid board members are the recently appointed Chairman, Dr. Solomon E. Arase, and Hon. Chief Onyemuche Nnamani, representing the South East. This lack of proper oversight emboldens the police to act with impunity,” HURIWA noted.
The group is particularly alarmed by the continuous appointment of former Inspectors General of Police (IGP) as Chairmen of the PSC, expressing that the practice undermines the independence of the commission and fosters a culture of impunity within the police force. It stated that the PSC was established to instill discipline and professionalism in the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), but appointing former IGPs as Chairmen is seen as a sinister plot to weaken its effectiveness.
HURIWA, therefore, called for an end to the practice of security agents kidnapping journalists on nebulous charges under the cybercrime laws, which are often misused to stifle dissent and free speech. The association urged the government to amend these laws to reflect democratic ideals and protect the fundamental rights of all Nigerians.
It also demanded urgent steps to restore the functionality of the Police Service Commission, including appointing a full complement of qualified and independent members to ensure the commission can carry out its mandate effectively, stressing that robust oversight and accountability are essential to reforming the Nigerian Police Force so that it serves and protects the people, rather than intimidating and oppressing them.
HURIWA reiterated its solidarity with all journalists and advocates for free speech in Nigeria. The association called on the Nigerian government to uphold the rule of law and respect the rights and freedoms of its citizens, as enshrined in the Constitution.
“The immediate release of Mr. Onuorah and a thorough review of the PSC’s composition and cybercrime laws are essential steps toward restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s commitment to democracy and human rights,” HURIWA National Coordinator, Emma Onwubiko stated.
An Abuja based civil rights advocate, Mallam Ismaila Yau, warned that the current tactice of press intimidation by the All Progressive Congress (APC) led governennt is begining to create a climate of fear in the land, not only in the media industry.
He told NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER Newspaper in an interview on Thursday, May 23rd, 2024, that while it is important that citizens keep to law and order, the government and it's state operatives should realise the obvious danger in violating the fundermental rights of the people which could create a backlash.
Mallam Yau however urged the federal government to intervene in what he described as a budgeoning frosty relationship between the press and the security agents of the state. He said that the apparent indifference by President Tinubu in reigning in on the operatives of state security is giving an impression that the recurrent abduction of journalists had the greenlight of the government.
The activist therefore tasked the Nigerian journalists to come out "forcefully and defend the constitutional freedom of the press to inform, educate, enlighten the people and to hold the government accountable to it's actions in public governance".
He blamed the media bodies for what it described as their "lukewarm attitude" when they issue ultimatum to government and it's state agencies when media practictioners are assaulted and their ultimatum are ignored.
Mallam Yau queried: " I recall that the media bodies led by NPAN (Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria) issued what was clearly was an ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu and his government to sanction or outrightly remove from office, the Chief of Defence Staff over the role the army under the CDS Command played in the recent abduction of Mr Segun Olatunji. What came out of that ultimatum when the time given expired? Not the NPAN and not any of the media body took any action to drive home their point. Their demand should not be seen as a joke, if not, there would be a repeat as we now have in the present case of the abduction of Mr Madu Onuora. And because the media did not show it's red eyes sufficiently in the case of Segun Olatunji, that was why the police audaciously came for Onuora.
"The media, as a watchdog, should not only bark, they should indeed bite and bite out blood from its oppressors when it becomes necessary, otherwise, they would be taken for a ride. The public has absolute confidence in the press to defend their rights and the press should, at all times, live up to that public confidence no matter how inconvenient it is to them", Mallam Yau stated. NNL.
