The Abia State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, has called on the Security Agencies in the State to swiftly swing into action to secure the release of one of her members, Chuks Onuoha, recently kidnapped by gunmen.
Onuoha, who was the Abia State Correspondent of the Sun Newspapers, was reportedly kidnapped from his home at Umungasi, Ohuhu in Umuahia North Local Government Area, Abia State at about 10pm on Tuesday, June 6, 2022.
In a statement issued on Wednesday signed by the Chairman of the Union, Comrade Victor Ndukwe and Secretary, Comrade Adaeze Ralph Igbokwe, the Abia State NUJ, expressed fear that journalists were fast becoming endangered species in the State, considering the fact that the incident was the third of such ugly story.
The statement reads in part:
“The Council fears that Journalists are fast becoming endangered species in the state in the evolving trend as this is the third of such ugly story.
“Assuming but without conceding that Mr. Onuoha may have offended anyone in the course of discharging his journalistic functions, resorting to jungle justice or taking the law into one’s hands is never the way to go. It is an ignoble act in this age and era of civilization. The law courts are there, or, better still, any person aggrieved by any perceived professional misconduct of a journalist is encouraged to report the journalist to the Union which would apply its constitutionally approved correctional method and measures in handling such issues.
“We hereby passionately appeal to his abductors to quickly release him unharmed to enable him to reunite with his agonizing family.
“We also call on all security agencies in the state to swiftly swing into action to secure the release of Mr Onuoha, even as the Council urges the government to deploy all its security apparatchik for the rescue of Mr. Onuoha and to institute water-tight security measures that would eradicate the menace of kidnapping which seems to resurging in the state.
“We urge society to strive to create the environmental ambience capable of encouraging the journalist to practice his or her profession without let or hindrance. A society where journalists are not allowed to discharge their onerous responsibility of galvanizing society for socio-economic transformation and political advancement is doomed.”