The Editor of FirstNews online Newspaper, Mr. Segun Olatunji, has claimed that his recent abduction and detention are connected to his journalistic work, which displeased certain powerful individuals.
This revelation came following his release after a harrowing twelve-day confinement.
He described how his encounter with the military spiraled into a series of events that included being blindfolded, flown to Abuja, and detained without charges.
He also stated that his phones were seized. After a blindfolded journey, he found himself handcuffed, both hands and feet, and stripped of his belongings in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
During his detention, Mr. Olatunji said he experienced physical discomfort due to excessively tight handcuffs, which led to numbness in his right hand and leg.
He disclosed that while in detention, interrogations focused on specific stories published by FirstNews, especially those criticizing the Chief of Defense Intelligence and the Chief of Staff to the President.
Meanwhile, the International Press Institute (IPI), the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) diligently worked to locate Mr. Olatunji, confronting various government and security agencies.
Their efforts met with denials until a press statement by the IPI and subsequent pressure on military officials led to Mr. Olatunji’s release
