BREAKING: Abducted Lagos Editor, Olatunji regains freedom after 12 days

The Editor of FirstNews Online Newspaper, Segun Olatunji has regained freedom after spending 12 days in custody.

Olatunji was released to the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE)  on Thursday morning, according to the Secretary of the Guild, Dr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren.

Gunmen suspected to be military personnel had invaded Olatunji’s residence at Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos on March 15, and abducted him.

While the journalist’s family did not receive any communication from his abductors, the management of the media platform linked the incident to a story published by FirstNews.

Concerns about his location continued until the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) said its checks showed the editor was in the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), an agency under the command of Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, who, in turn, reports to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa.

Hours after the IPI made this disclosure, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, told some editors that the military had confirmed that the editor was in their custody.

Meanwhile, in a strongly-worded statement on Wednesday, IPI called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to activate the powers of his office as Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces to direct the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to produce Olatunji.