FirstNews Editor, Segun Olatunji regains freedom

The Defence Intelligence Agency(DIA) has released the Editor of FirstNews Online Newspaper, Segun Olatunji, after spending two weeks in custody.

Olatunji was released to the General Secretary of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, and a Deputy Editor with THE NATION, Yomi Odunuga, under a bridge in Asokoro, Abuja.

The operatives were masked with number plates of their vehicles covered up.

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

Olatunji was said to have been whisked away by 15 solders from his home in Abule-Egba in Lagos, on March 15.

There were media reports speculating that Olatunji’s arrest might have been caused by a news story in his publication accusing an official working with the Nigeria Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) of not fairly allocating public contracts.

The Gestapo style of arrest of the journalist had generated criticisms from within and outside the country.