Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives
The Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria’s National Assembly, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, has directed the House Committees on National Security and Intelligence, as well as Police and Defence to submit their findings on the circumstances of the disappearance and death of Vanguard newspapers reporter, Mr. Tordue Salem, whose corpse was discovered in the morgue of Wuse General Hospital in Abuja.
After the journalist went missing, the House had on November 9, 2021, through a motion moved by the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, mandated its relevant committees to meet with service chiefs and other security agencies to intensify efforts at finding the late journalist and report back within two weeks
The speaker’s directive came on the heels of a point of order raised at the plenary by Hon. Elumelu.
Tordue Salem who hitherto covered the activities of the House of Representatives went missing on October 13, 2021, at the close of work in Abuja. His corpse was later discovered by the police at the Wuse General Hospital morgue on November 12, 2021. The police claims Tordue was killed by a hit-and-run commercial driver named Itoro Clement.
Hon. Elumelu relying under order 6 rule 2, order 8 rule 5 and order 20 rule 70 (2a) of the House, noted that the committees were yet to submit the report of their investigations to the House.
He reminded the House of the resolution it passed on November 9 and noted that even though reports have emerged that the reporter was dead but by compliance, the committees have not even come to submit their report and even tell the House what happened.
He pointed out that reports have it that Tordue would be buried on November 11 yet the committees that were given two weeks were yet to even submit their report. He said: “It doesn’t tell well on the committees that are given an assignment and they failed to make submissions of their findings for the House to take a decision.”
In his response, Speaker Gbajabiamila directed the committees to submit their report on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, for further legislative duties.
