The I-CSPJ has expressed deep concern over the safety and well-being of the kidnapped journalists and their families.
The International Press Centre’s Centre for the Safety and Protection of Journalists (I-CSPJ) has called for the immediate release of Alhaji AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Chairman of the University Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna State Council, and AbdulRaheem Aodu, a reporter for Blueprint Newspapers.
Both journalists, along with their wives and children, were kidnapped on the night of Saturday, July 6, 2024, from their residence in Danhonu Community, Millennium City, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The I-CSPJ has expressed deep concern over the safety and well-being of the kidnapped journalists and their families.
In a statement released on Monday by IPC Executive Director, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the IPC urged security agencies to do all they could to ensure that all the victims kidnapped were set free.
According to the statement, "Information reaching, I-CSPJ reveals that, “one of the victims’ family members, who lived close to their house, Taofeeq Olayemi confirmed the incident saying the bandits attacked the community around 10:30pm on Saturday night and started shooting sporadically before kidnapping the victims.”
“They first forced Aodu’s door open and picked him and his wife and left their sick daughter behind. Then, they entered Abdulgafar’s house through the fence and jumped into his house. They went straight into his bedroom and picked him, his wife and two of their kids and left immediately, the report revealed.”
“The spate of insecurity in the country should be of serious concern to all adding that it is very disturbing that journalists and media practitioners have also become easy targets.”
"I-CSPJ enjoins the Kaduna State Government and relevant security agencies to do all they can to ensure that all the victims kidnapped are set free without being harmed in any way."
"I-CSPJ therefore appeals to other national, regional and international media freedom groups, freedom of expression organisations and human rights bodies to join in the clamour for their release and safety," he added.
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