Gunmen suspected to be soldiers, numbering about 10 on March 15, 2024, abducted Mr. Segun Olatunji, Editor of FirstNews, an online news portal, at his home in the Iyana Odo area of Abule Egba in Lagos State.
A statement released by the management of FirstNews said Mr. Olatunji’s abduction was linked to a recent story published by the media organization titled, “Revealed: “Defence Chief running office like family business – Public Interest Lawyers.”
The management also linked his abduction to another report titled, “EXCLUSIVE: How contractor, company stole N100bn, laundered funds for top govt officials – Investigation”, which was later pulled down.
Shedding light on the incident, Mr. Olatunji’s wife stated that the armed men arrived at their residence, a few minutes after 6 pm, and whisked her husband away adding that her husband’s abductors reached for his phone and seized it immediately after they arrived before bundling him into a van. She added that efforts to know his offence or where they were taking him were rebuffed by the stern-looking men.
The Publisher of FirstNews, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, who also confirmed the incident, said there has been no trace of him, as his phone line has been switched, and no one has reached his family or the management of FirstNews to disclose the real reason behind his abduction.
The management of FirstNews has called on the military high command and the security agencies to investigate his whereabouts and the reason why he was arrested.
Mr. Olatunji was detained incommunicado.
