Worrisome: Police Abduct Another Editor, Mr. Madu Onuorah

…Picked in the presence of his family with no warrant

The Nigerian journalism space has been once again attacked by security agents who pounced on and abducted the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Globalupfront Online Newspaper, Mr Madu Onuorah on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.

Onuorah was abducted and whisked away by about ten fully armed men of the Nigeria Police Force that stormed his residence located in Lugbe-Abuja at about 6:00pm in two Sienna buses.

This is taking place against the backdrop of recent abduction of Segun Olatunji formerly of FirstNews online by the military in Gestapo faction and that of Daniel Ojukwu of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) by Police Force.

The development is becoming worrisome, harrowing and difficult to comprehend in the practice of journalism in Nigeria as a result of the new drive by security agencies to direct their attention on journalists carrying out their constitutional responsibility of holding public office hold accountable in national and public interest.

Mr Onurah, a former Managing Director of Authority Newspaper, former Abuja Bureau Chief of Guardian Newspaper, is presently the Editor-in-Chief of Globalupfront Newspaper online.

He was arrested in the presence of his wife and children who fruitlessly demanded to from the police why they were arresting the head of the family but, rather than offer explanation, the Police forcefully seized Onuorah’s phones, to completely cut him off from communicating with people, including his family members.

Onuorah was also not allowed to contact his lawyer or any of his relations before he was whisked away to the Lugbe Divisional Police station by the stern looking operatives.

To make sure 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.

Towards this end, the management of Globalupfront Newspapers has demanded for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Madu Onuorah.

 The organisation also counselled the Nigeria Police not to allow itself turn to a Gestapo outfit that bullies a man in the presence of his family.

Globalupfront particularly said 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 the press and expression that has become frequent occurrence in Nigeria recently.