Unmask Killers of Abuja Journalist, Omo-Agege Charges Security Agencies

Deji Elumoye

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has charged the Nigerian Police and other security agencies to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killing of an Abuja-based journalist, Henry Salem Tordue.
Tordue, a Vanguard reporter covering the House of Representatives, who was last seen on October 13, 2021, was found dead in Abuja in the late hours of Thursday, after allegedly being knocked down by a hit-and-run vehicle.
In his reaction to the development, Omo-Agege in a release on Friday, expressed regrets over the unfortunate incident and emphasized the need for conclusive investigations that’ll unmask all those involved in the journalist’s death.
According to him, the parade of one Itoro Clement – a commercial driver who allegedly knocked down and killed the journalist – has raised further questions on the circumstances leading to his demise.
The ranking Senator noted that providing the missing puzzle is the only way to bring the matter to a close adding that anything short of this would add to the list of unresolved murders of journalists carrying out their constitutional duties.
The release stated: “The news of the killing of Mr. Tordue Henry Salem came to me as a rude shock, especially as it came barely 48-hours after the Senate and House of Representatives passed separate resolutions tasking security agencies to intensify efforts to find him and reunite him with his family.
“I am particularly worried that this is happening at the heart of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Reports abound of kidnappings and other security breaches in the nation’s capital.
“While we await further briefing from the police on who deposited Tordue’s corpse in the morgue and when it was deposited, the sad development has added to the list of unresolved killings of journalists like Dele Giwa, founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine; Godwin Agbroko of THISDAY; Bagauda Kaltho of (The News); Bayo Ohu (The Guardian); Edo Sule Ugbagwu (The Nation) and Abayomi Ogundeji (THISDAY), who were all murdered in the course of discharging their constitutional duties.
“I extend my condolences to the family, friends and associates of the deceased, the government and people of Benue State, the Vanguard family, House of Representatives Press Corps, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and pray God to give them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss”.