Ayodeji Ake
The Wife of the remanded journalist, Mercy Samuel has pleaded with Taraba State Governor, Mr. Darius Ishaku to direct the release of her husband unconditionally, saying his absence is tolling on the family.
Mercy made the call at a news conference she addressed in Lagos recently alongside the leadership of the Coalition of Journalists of Conscience (CJC)
At the conference, Mercy noted that the absence of her husband, Ayodele Samuel “have been grave effects on the family. Our children have not been going to school because the situation.”
Consequently, Mercy plead with the Taraba State Government “to release my husband if not for anything, but for the sake of the family.”
At the conference, also, the General Secretary of CJC, Akinwale Kasali called on the Nigerian Police, Taraba State Police Command and Taraba State Governor, Mr. Darius Ishaku to kindly honour the court ruling and free Ayodele Samuel.
He said: “Samuel was arraigned at a court in Jalingo, presided by Garba S. Garba on a two-count charge of defamation and injurious falsehood. The charge was filed against him through the office of the Attorney General of the state.
“It comes as a reaction from nurtured grievance over a publication on page 5 of the Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper, dated September 17 with the theme, Taraba for Sale.”
“The publication alleges a possible sale of the Taraba state-owned Mambilla Beverages Company and state properties, including the liaison office in Abuja. Similar publications had appeared on other prominent Nigerian media publications on Taraba Truth and Facts without rebuttal.”
Akinwale confirmed that the bail conditions “have been met. It is quite unclear how the publisher has been remanded. But what is certain is the treacherous abuse of power by the state government.
