Frank Berates DSS over Arrest of Bayelsa Journalist

Udora Orizu

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has condemned in strong terms the arrest of a journalist from his house in Bayelsa State by men suspected to be operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), on Sunday.

Operatives of the Service numbering about 15 were said to have invaded the residence of the journalist and publisher of tracknews.ng, Bara Ogidi, and whisked him away in the presence of his wife and children to an unknown destination.

Frank who is the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Ambassador to East Africa and Middle East, in a statement in Abuja, urged the DSS to urgently release Ogidi, who he said was merely carrying out his legitimate duty by reporting proceedings of a case for the benefit of the reading public.

According to him, such Gestapo-styled abductions are reminiscent of military juntas and should never be condoned in a democratic setting.

He urged the Director General of DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, to steer the Service away from being used by political office holders to harass, intimidate and victimise innocent journalists for exercising their constitutional rights.

The activist noted that journalists and media houses had unfortunately come under intense attacks, harassment, intimidation and victimisation under the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari through illegal arrests, invasion of media houses and prolonged and unjustified detention of journalists in violation of their fundamental human rights to freedom of speech and expression.

Frank said: “This is not a DSS matter. Let them make public his offence or charges. We understand that Ogidi’s abduction by the DSS and plans to export him to Abuja is meant to blackmail him in order to implicate innocent Nigerians under duress.

“Why arrest a journalist because a politician was not pleased with a report? Every Nigerian who feels he has been unduly misrepresented has a right of reply in the media or in the alternative to seek legal redress in a court of competent jurisdiction.

“Why make the DSS or any security agency for that matter the fall guy anytime a politician is aggrieved over a media report? This is definitely not the work that should command the attention of the DSS or any security agency whatsoever at a time the country is being buffeted by bandits, kidnappers, terrorists on every side.

“Therefore we demand the immediate and unconditional release of Ogidi from detention to enable him go back to his family in one piece as the arrest is an embarrassment to the country.”

He called on the National Human Rights Commission and the International Press Institute to intervene to ensure that Ogidi was not detained longer than necessary or for him to be arraigned in court to enable him seek bail.