Journalists on Monday stormed Police Headquarters, Abuja, demanding that the Inspector-General of Police, (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, provides answers on the whereabouts of a Vanguard reporter, Tordue Salem who covers the National Assembly.
Salem was last seen on October 13 at Garki district of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Tordue reportedly slept in his sister’s house on October 12, left for the National Assembly on the 13th, and was last seen by colleagues on the beat between 4pm and 5pm.
The journalists, were armed with placards with different inscriptions such as ‘Free Tordue now’, ‘Enough is enough’, ‘Stop violence against journalists’, ‘Free the press,’ ‘Journalists’ lives matter’ among others, sang “We want Tordue back alive.”
Addressing the journalists at the gate of the Police Headquarters, was the Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists, (NUJ) FCT chapter, Emmanuel Ogbeche, noting that all they wanted was for IGP Baba to tell them what the force was doing about Tordue’s disappearance.
Ogbeche explained that the Police boss must put all necessary apparatus in place to find Tordue Salem alive so he can reunite with his family.
“Keep faith,” he urged the journalists, “be law abiding as it is not time to fight or be violent.”
The Nigeria Union of Journalists had earlier announced that it will hold a “peaceful march” aimed at ensuring the safe return of the journalist, Tordue Salem, who is said to have been missing since October 13.
The FCT branch of the NUJ had described Salem’s sudden disappearance as an extension of the deteriorating state of insecurity in the nation’s capital and again questions the efficiency of the country’s security operatives.
It urged all security agents to live up to their expectations by solving the reporter’s mysterious disappearance in due time.
The body, on Sunday, issued a notice calling on members to participate in a “peaceful march” which will culminate in the submission of a petition to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) in Abuja on Monday.
It asked its members to converge on the Ministry of Women Affairs Building in Abuja from where they will proceed to the IGP’s office.
This, according to the body, was part of efforts to ensure the return of Salem who as of Sunday, has now been missing for 11 days.
