The Editor of FirstNews Newspaper, Segun Olatunji, who was abducted from his home in Lagos, recounted his experience with the military personnel on Thursday.
The military authorities released Olatunji on Thursday following pressure, after he was abducted from his Lagos home on Friday, March 15, 2024.
He was released to some media stakeholders in Abuja after continuous pressure from the media, as confirmed by The PUNCH.
They were required to ensure that they would produce Olatunji if necessary.
The International Press Institute, the Nigeria Guild of Editors, and Olatunji’s employers had criticized his detention, demanding his release or to be charged to court.
After his release, Olatunji narrated his experience at a press briefing organized by the leaderships of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Nigeria Union of Journalists and IPI in Abuja, stating that he was blindfolded and taken to the Federal Capital Territory where he was kept in handcuffs and leg chains for almost three days.
He mentioned, “Someone claiming to be from the military, Colonel Lawal, seized my phones immediately.
“I went to dress up. When I got downstairs, I saw soldiers inside the compound and about three vehicles with Air Force personnel, Army, Defence Intelligence Agency, and others, all armed.
“I was handcuffed and taken straight to the office of the National Air Defence Corps where we waited for three hours. They were waiting for an aircraft to transport me to Abuja.
“When the aircraft landed, I was blindfolded and taken onboard, and we landed in Abuja shortly. I was also leg cuffed. They removed my clothes and left me with my boxers. I was taken to Cell 9.
“I was left with leg and handcuffs. At one point, an officer tightened the right leg and the right hand, and I was groaning in pain. They did not loosen it until about two or three days later.
“Even now, I can still feel the pains in my hands and legs.”
Olatunji said the ones responsible for his ordeal were connected to the government based on the questions he was asked.
He added, “They asked me questions about certain stories that FirstNews had published.
“They first told me that I was one of those criticizing the Chief of Defence Intelligence (Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye). They did not say much about that.”
He said they also asked him about a story FirstNews had published about the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu (Mr Femi Gbajabiamila), which he described as a “major thing”.
“That is why I told some people earlier that those behind my arrest are people in the corridors of power who are not happy with what FirstNews is doing and are determined to retaliate,” he added.
