By TINA TIMOTHY

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has stated that, more than 21 years after the birth of democracy, Nigerian military dictatorship is yet to end.

Reacting to the abduction of FirstNews Editor, Mr. Segun Olatunji by the military, refusal to disclose his whereabouts and his subsequent release after about two weeks, HURIWA, in a statement issued on Thursday, March 28, 2024, and signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, decried that constitutional democracy is under severe threat, adding "that some high ranking officials in today's military institution in the Country have yet to come to terms with the legal reality that the military is subordinate to constitutionally established civilian authority.”

“HURIWA has observed with unquantifiable shock the revelation that the Editor of FirstNews online newspaper Mr. Segun Olatunji was indeed in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency just as we note with trepidation that this development presupposes that the vestiges of military dictatorship have yet to be totally exterminated even after over 21 years that democracy berthed in Nigeria.

“HURIWA believes that what this entire thing shows is that aside the mortal fear of media freedoms, the uneasiness of the top hierarchy of the Defence Headquarters to criticisms and the discharge of the constitutionally guaranteed fundamental duty of the press as encapsulated in section 22 of the 1999 constitution as amended, can very well be interpreted to mean that some high ranking officials in today's military institution in the Country have yet to come to terms with the legal reality that the military is subordinate to constitutionally established civilian authority.

“The information narrated by the honourable minister of information and national orientation Alhaji Mohammed Idriss that even the top hierarchy of the Nigerian Army refused to disclose the whereabouts of the senior journalist Segun Olatunji kidnapped forcefully over 14 days ago by uniform wearing armed goons from the Army, shows that Nigeria needs to put in more efforts to compel top Generals to accept that Nigeria's constitutional democracy has come to stay and that under a constitutional democracy the provisions of the fundamental human rights as captured in chapter 4 of the Grund Norm are enforceable and binding on all authorities and persons in Nigeria which didn't exclude officers of the armed forces whose commander-in-chief is the elected civilian president,” HURIWA stated.

Describing the situation as “highly despicable and reprehensible,” the group further urged “the National Assembly's committees on Armed forces to wake up from their compromised slumber and begin their oversight function and responsibilities over the hierarchies of the military and security forces before it is late”, adding that the tendencies manifested in the abduction of Segun Olatunji is an indication that “even the leadership of the National Assembly can be abducted by the security agencies and the matter will just be treated with indiscretion and tardiness.”

The statement continues: “To hide information about the arrest of a journalist in such a way that depicted the Army as abductors, is to put it mildly highly despicable and reprehensibleand we are asking the National Assembly's committees on Armed forces to wake up from their compromised slumber and begin their oversight function and responsibilities over the hierarchies of the military and security forces before it is late because the tendencies manifested in the abduction of Segun Olatunji the Editor of First News Online Newspaper, has shown that even the leadership of the National Assembly can be abducted by the security agencies and the matter will just be treated with indiscretion and tardiness.”

HURIWA, while lamenting that the spate of abductions by the military is not only a threat to freedom of expression but a reminder that Nigeria is “not far from Abacha-era of hatred of media freedoms, also called for an investigation into the “unfortunate act of lawlessness and impunity” and urged "President Tinubu to take steps to ensure that his military officers do not pose existential threats to constitutionalism.”

Continuing, HURIWA said: “The reason we are raising constant alarms regarding threats to Freedom of expression by the security agencies is because of this kind of nocturnal abductions which happened frequently under the then military era of General Sani Abacha and this latest incident reminds us that we are not far from Abacha-era of hatred of media freedoms. Those who ordered the illegal abduction of Editor Segun Olatunji should be investigated and made to comply with the constitutional demands of accountability for this unfortunate act of lawlessness and impunity. There is no justification for such a brazen disregard for the principle of rule of law.

“In a media statement against the backdrops of information that after about two weeks in custody, the Editor of First News Online Newspaper, Mr. Segun Olatunji has been released by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), HURIWA has called on President Tinubu to take steps to ensure that his military officers do not pose existential threats to constitutionalism.

“He, Segun Olatunji was released to the General Secretary of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren and the Deputy Editor (Nation’s Capital) of THE NATION Newspapers, Mr. Yomi Odunuga, under a bridge in Asokoro, Abuja.

“The security goons were masked with number plates of their vehicles covered up.

“All the documents for his release were signed inside a security vehicle with heavily armed operatives this Thursday morning, March 28, 2024.

Upon enquiry by the NGE sureties, one of the security men simply said he was arrested for “terrorism.”

“About two weeks after his abduction, the Federal Government had finally confirmed the whereabouts of Olatunji, saying that he was held up at a detention facility owned by the DIA.”

HURIWA further called on European nations with embassies in Nigeria to look into the matter and demand that the Nigerian government allow journalists carry out their duties without hindrance, threats or abductions.

“We in HURIWA are hereby calling on European nations whose embassies are in Nigeria to take special notice of this untoward development and to demand that the government of Nigeria must allow Journalists to continue to carry out their duties professionally without let, hindrance, and threats of assassinations or abduction. The federal government owe us a responsibility to inform us regarding why the military under a civilian political leadership has decided to embark on actions that offend the constitutional norms relating to democracy and adherence to the rule of law,” HURIWA stated.