OrderPaper, an online publication which focuses on Nigeria’s National Assembly and State legislatures, has raised an alarm over the arrest of one of its staff.
In a statement late Friday, the newspaper detailed how operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) “abducted” Edna Ulaeto from her residence, for reasons which was not stated.
OrderPaper stated that it suspected that the raid was in connection to a story it published on the purported invasion of the National Assembly by the DSS.
Two days ago, there were rumours of a purported plot to impeach Senate President Akpabio. The red chamber had dismissed it,
In its statement, OrderPaper said it had apologised over the incident, wondering why Ulaeto was targeted.
“Today, October 18, 2024, a group of armed men, identifying themselves as officers of the Department of State Services (DSS) from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), forcefully stormed the home of an OrderPaper staff member, Edna Ulaeto, and abducted her without any explanation.”
“The young lady, still in her casual nightwear, was violently manhandled and whisked away to an unknown destination, leaving her family and neighbors in shock and fear. Shockingly, it has come to light that her phone number was illegally tracked, a tactic typically reserved for dangerous criminals, not innocent media staff.
“OrderPaper suspects this cruel and unjust act is connected to a recent news article that mistakenly reported on an alleged DSS invasion of the National Assembly, supposedly to block an attempt to impeach the Senate President. Despite immediately issuing a retraction and public apology, masked men broke into her home, tore through her personal belongings, and caused immense trauma to her and her family.
“Neighbors who attempted to follow or capture the horrifying event were shoved aside, with some forced to delete photos and videos under the threat of arrest. No official notice or invitation was ever sent to the individual or OrderPaper by the DSS or police, raising serious concerns of foul play. Since the abduction, all efforts to reach her have failed, intensifying fears for her safety.
“This brazen, terrifying act has left the entire staff of OrderPaper living in fear, uncertain of what may happen next. We urgently call on the public, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and the international community to demand her immediate release and to ensure her safety. Join us in condemning this unlawful attack on press freedom and basic human rights before it is too late.”
The development comes just as a team of operatives of the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the early hours of Monday, October 14, 2024 invaded the Urban Radio 94.5FM, Enugu to arrest one Favour Ekoh, host of Prime Time, a programme running at the Station.
Although the station announced that the EFCC officials invaded its station and whisked away the lady, interrupting a live programme, the anti-graft agency denied doing so.
In a statement issued by Dele Oyewale, EFCC Spokesperson, the commission said the presented was arrested after shunning several investigation of a Ponzi scheme she was involved in. Many Nigerians were reportedly defrauded through the scheme.