Missing journalist: Southeast group holds one million man protest, Nov 3

By PASCHAL NJOKU

Hon. Goodluck Ibem, President-General, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, an umbrella body of all youth groups in the South East geopolitical zone, has disclosed that a one-million-man protest for the missing Vanguard reporter, Tordue Salem, will hold on November 3.

In a statement on Thursday, Hon. Ibem said the coalition has waited for 7 good days to get a positive response from the office of the Inspector General of Police IGP Usman Alkali Baba and other security agencies saddled with the responsibility of protecting Nigerians and their properties, but to no avail.

Therefore, the coalition is calling on all journalists, youths, civil society organizations and all well-meaning Nigerians to come out en masse for the protest.

The group will protest at the Police Force headquarters, the National Assembly complex, DSS headquarters and National Defence headquarters.

“It is very difficult to believe that a journalist on a legitimate duty after the close of work will just go missing. We cannot accept that. He must be found by any means.

“The silence of the Federal House of Representatives leadership on the missing reporter is not golden.
“Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila is the leader of the Federal House of Representatives and all persons working on the roof of the green chambers are under his care. He is accountable for all activities.

“Ever since the news of the missing Vanguard reporter was made public, the leadership of the Federal House of Representatives have not made any statement or move to ensure the safe return of the Journalist” the coalition lamented.

According to the group, “It is not a coincidence that a reporter after the close of work left the green chambers and immediately went missing.

“We believe that some people are not comfortable with some information at his disposal and they want him to disappear.

“Some people were he is working knows his intinerary and aided in his disappearance.

“Though we are not pre-empting the duties of the security agencies, we are very convinced that some people within his workplace knows about the whereabouts of Tordue Salem.

“The entire scenario surrounding the sudden disappearance of Tordue Salem looks suspicious.
“One begins to suspect if his sudden disappearance is related to information at his disposal” Hon Ibem stated. (Daily Independent)